Monter la Tete
by darkaccalia520
Summary: A routine mission to recover a sunken ship goes terribly wrong for the crew of the seaQuest, and they end up stranded in Haiti where odd things begin to happen. Season 1 cast/setting. *COMPLETE*
1. A Golden Opportunity

**A/N: OK, here's something different. Basically, everything from my other stories needs to be completely disregarded because they will have nothing to do with this one. I am trying to appease those who like a more canon-based story. So, this is something a little different, and I hope I may gain some new readers but also keep my old ones as well. So, this story will be more horror/sci-fi with some possible romantic undertones later. As you may already know, my stories do have a little bit of everything, so there will be more than just these genres covered. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Please feel free to leave a comment; reviews are always appreciated, even if they are anonymous. Thank you.**

**Disclaimer: SeaQuest DSV and its characters are not my creation. They are the creation of Rockne S. O'Bannon as a 1990's television series. This work of fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only and is not for financial gain. I am just borrowing the characters for a bit and promise to return them unharmed and in their original condition, maybe just a bit happier.**

**Chapter 1**

"Nathan, don't you _realize_ the wonderful opportunity we could be passing up?" Kristin Westphalen pleaded with Nathan Bridger, the captain of the _seaQuest_.

"You're not going to let up until I give in, are you?" Nathan said.

"Not a chance," Kristin admitted. "I mean, how _often_ do you get to explore an unsalvaged shipwreck from the sixteenth century?"

"We did that already," Nathan said. "Remember _The George_?"

"That's hardly the same thing," Kristin countered. "And, _The George_ wasn't from the sixteenth century?"

"So, how do you know that this ,_Senora_...what is it?" Nathan asked.

"_La_ _Senora de la Profundidades;_ it means the Lady of the Deep," Kristin corrected.

"Right," Nathan said. "So, how do you know that the _La_ _Senora de las Profundidades_ is off the coast of Jacmel?" Nathan asked.

"I don't," Kristin admitted, causing Nathan to roll his eyes. "But, that's the area it's said to have gone down in. Look, you know as well as I do that the ocean floor is riddled with unsalvaged shipwrecks. It's just that, up until now, we haven't had the technology to be able to dive as deep as we can now."

"I understand that, Kristin, but we can't just go down there on a hunch."

"It wouldn't be just a hunch. The last time we were in the area, the WSKR told us that there was something down there, a shipwreck. It happens to be very deep in the channel of the ocean floor. I've been doing my research since then, and I think it might be the remains of the _La_ _Senora de las Profundidades_."

"And, if it isn't?" Nathan asked.

"Well, then it's something else," Kristin explained. "But, the point is, no else has discovered it. We could be the first to find artifacts that are over four hundred years old."

"Or they could be fifty years old," Nathan said. "Is that a gamble you're willing to take?"

"Of course it is." Then, she added, "Why are you being so stubborn, Nathan? I _thought _you were the type of man who was interested in science and exploration."

"I am," Nathan said in his own defense. "I suppose if I say 'no', you're going to go over my head and speak with Admiral Noyce?"

"That's the plan," Kristin said with a satisfied smile on her face. "The _seaQuest _is a _research_ vessel."

Nathan knew he couldn't keep arguing with her. He finally conceded. "Alright, alright," he said. "We'll get a team together and prepare a launch."

Kristin squealed with delight and gave Nathan a hug. "Oh, thank you, Nathan! You _won't_ be disappointed!"

"If I am, I'll hold you to that," he quipped. "Staff meeting in one hour in ward room," he said.

"Right," she said as she left Nathan's quarters.

**One hour later**

The senior staff members of the _seaQuest_ were gathered around the conference table in the ward room. Dr. Westphalen was explaining the legend of _La Senora de las Profundidades_.

"She was a merchant ship said to have gone down off the coast of Haiti in 1560," Kristin said.

"What makes that different from any other shipwreck?" Lucas piped up.

"How about the fact that it is supposed to have the largest amount of gold known for a ship at the time...possibly 500 million dollars worth in gold coins, bars, and jewlery," Kristin explained, "among other treasures and artifacts. You see, the channel the ship is in is so deep, that it hasn't been able to be recovered yet. But, now we have the technology to do so."

"How deep is it?" Katie Hitchcock asked.

"Around a thousand feet or maybe more," Kristin answered.

"Whoa," Lucas said. "I'm there."

"Uh, no, you're not," Kristin protested. Then, she said, "Nathan, he's just a boy," she said, pointing towards Lucas.

"Hey, I went to _The George_; what's the difference now?" Lucas said.

"Yes, and that mission went _so _well," Kristin said sarcastically.

"I thought you didn't remember what happened on _The George_," Lucas said.

Kristin countered, "I don't remember everything, but I remember enough to know that it was too dangerous for _you_ to be there."

"It didn't seem like _I_ was the one in danger," Lucas protested.

"Alright, that's enough you two," Nathan cut in. "I've already decided who's going and who's not. And, there will be no arguments from _anyone_, understood?"

Everyone nodded.

Nathan continued. "The team will be as follows: Dr. Westphalen, myself, Chief Crocker, Commander Hitchcock, Dr. Levin...and Lucas. We'll be leaving within the hour. Meeting adjourned."

Everyone stood up to leave except Kristin. She stood with her arms crossed giving Nathan her famous 'Westphalen glare'.

"What?" Nathan asked when he saw the look he was giving her.

"You know full well what," Kristin said. "Nathan, he's just a boy."

"Do you think this is a dangerous mission?" Nathan asked.

"No," Kristin admitted.

"Then, what's the problem? Remember, this is all about exploration and discovery. Shouldn't Lucas be there for that? Are you really going to deny him that opportunity?"

Kristin shook her head. "No," she said. Then, she added, "I'm sorry. I just worry about him, and what if..." her voice trailed off.

"You aren't the only one who worries, Kristin." Nathan gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "Look, nothing bad is going to happen to him, alright?"

Kristin nodded. "You're right; you're right. I just overreacted."

"No worries," Nathan said. He looked at his watch. "Listen, if we're going to leave soon, we better get moving."

"Right," Kristin agreed.

Soon, the team was in the launch on the way to the wreck off the coast of Jacmel, Haiti.

"Now, initially, only three of us will be diving," Nathan explained.

"What's the point in that?" Lucas asked.

"Safety," Nathan said simply. "Once we've established which wreck it is and that the area is safe, the rest of you can go down and help recover artifacts."

"So, who goes first?" Lucas asked.

"Dr. Westphalen, Commander Hitchcock, and myself," Nathan said.

Soon, the launch arrived near the channel, and Nathan, Kristin, and Katie donned their diving gear. Soon, the three were in the water exploring the wreck.

"How are we going to know if this is _La Senora de las Profundidades_?" Katie asked.

"I am familiar with some of the artifacts said to be on it," Kristin explained.

"Just be careful with whatever you find, Commander," Nathan said.

"Aye, Sir."

As they searched the wreckage, Kristin exclaimed, "On my gosh! Gold coins!"

"They have 1560 stamped on them," Nathan said, examining them, "along with some words I cannot make out."

"That's promising," Katie said. "It's definitely in the right year."

Kristin and Nathan nodded. The three explorers began finding odds and ends of different treasures from the wreckage: jewlery, gold coins, plates, vases. Soon, they had filled a small plastic container with these items to bring back to the launch to examine.

"Remember that all these things will need to be desalinated or else the oxygen will destroy them," Kristin said.

"So, what's the verdict?" Nathan asked as the three headed back to the launch. "Do you think these are the remains of_ La Senora de las Profundidades_?"

"I'd say I'm about ninety-five percent sure of it," Kristin confirmed. "We've made history here. Aren't you glad you listened to me?"

Nathan laughed. "You want the satisfaction of hearing me say you were right, don't you?"

"Of course," Kristin said.

"Fine, you were right," Nathan said. "Let's get back to the launch."

Soon, the three were back at the launch. As they entered, Lucas asked, "Well?"

"Well, we've discovered treasure," Nathan confirmed.

"Very cool," Lucas said. "So, we'll all be going down there?"

"Soon," Nathan said.

But, the conversation was interrupted by Commander Ford's voice over the radio.

"Bridger here," Nathan said. "What's going on, Commander?"

"Uh, there seems to be a large storm system headed your way-Tropical Storm Xavier. It's forming very quickly, and there may not be enough time for the launch to return. Your best bet is to head to shore, Sir."

The launch was only a few hundred yards off the coast of Jacmel, so getting to safety should not be too difficult.

"Thank you, Commander. We'll be in touch. Bridger out."

Nathan turned to the rest of the members of the team. "Well, people, it seems there's a change of plans." Then he turned to a very worried-looking Kristin, "What was that you were saying before?"

She shot him a look as they the launch headed to shore.


	2. Unforseen Events

**Chapter 2**

A short time later, the launch reached the shores of Jacmel. "Alright," Nathan said, "everyone out. We'll find some shelter."

Everyone began filing out of the launch...except Kristin. Nathan turned back to her. "Come on," he urged.

"What about the artifacts?" she asked, horrified that they had to leave them behind.

He didn't answer her. Instead, he grabbed her hand and pulled her. "Later," he said. "We have to _go_."

On the beach, Nathan could see the storm hadn't reached the coast yet. The sky looked dark, but the weather was calm. "It looks like we won't get wet," Nathan said.

"So, where do we go?" Lucas asked.

"Let's head into town. There, we should be able to find out how bad the storm is supposed to be and if there are any warnings or watches in effect," Nathan said.

So, they began walking. As they came into town, they came across many old buildings and homes. Nathan approached a young boy who was riding a bicycle and asked if he knew where they could take shelter from a storm. Unfortunately, the boy didn't appear to understand him. Nathan silently wished that O'Neill or even Ortiz were with them, someone who spoke the language. Haiti was still the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, having been riddled with earthquakes and other natural disasters over the years. Therefore, not everyone there knew English either.

"This town is beautiful," Katie commented.

Noticing that some homes had human skulls and other bones decorating their front doorsteps, however, Kristin did not quite feel the same way; these images frightened her a bit. However, she didn't say anything.

Nathan noticed she was straggling behind the rest; he turned back to her. "Are you coming, slowpoke?"

She nodded and ran a little to catch up with them. Nathan stayed back and walked along side of her. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked, noticing that she didn't seem particularly enthusiastic. "You're still upset about leaving the artifacts?"

Kristin couldn't place her finger on it, but she just didn't feel right about the situation. But, she didn't want to tell Nathan. Besides, they were only in the mess because of _her _idea anyway; if she hadn't been so hellbent on insisiting on diving to see if they could discover _La Senora de las Profundidades_, they wouldn't be there in the first place. She had no one to blame but herself. "I'm fine," she said. "I'm just worried about Lucas," she lied.

Nathan looked up to where Lucas was walking alongside the other crew members. He was laughing and appeared to be having a great time. "He seems to be perfectly fine," Nathan noted. He placed a reassuring arm around Kristin's shoulders. "We'll be back on _seaQuest _before you know it; everything's going to be fine. Maybe you need to think more like Lucas?"

"You mean go with the flow?" Kristin asked.

Nathan nodded. "It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

"I-I suppose you're right," Kristin said, managing a small smile. "Everything's going to be fine."

"That's the spirit," Nathan said encouragingly. "We'd better catch up with the others before we get left behind."

They ran to catch up with the others. They walked a bit further and saw a sign for a hotel. "We should be able to find something out in here," Nathan said. "Let's go."

They walked inside, and rang the service bell at the front desk. A few moments later, a young man came from around the corner. "Hello there. My name is Serge; may I help you?" he said with a smile.

"Yes," Nathan said, "I was wondering if you could tell me anything about the tropical storm headed this way."

"Oh, yes. I was just watching the weather report, and the storm will be hitting shortly. However, it will not be as destructive as originally thought. It should pass fairly quickly and won't cause much damage. Do you need a room?"

Nathan shook his head. "No, we were diving and heard about the storm on our radio. Is there somewhere where we can wait the storm out until it passes?"

"We have a dining area next door."

"That'll work. Thank you," Nathan said.

"Anytime, Sir."

Nathan turned back to his friends. "Well, it looks like we won't be here too long." Then he looked at Kristin, "See; I told you so."

"Yes, yes," she said rolling her eyes. "Now, let's go. I'm starving."

A few moments later, they were all gathered around a table in the restaurant, sharing drinks and conversation while they waited for their meal. The restaurant had large windows so that its' guests could look out at the beaches and scenery; the group could see that the rain started to fall and the wind started to blow, but they now knew that it was nothing to worry about.

Lucas quickly became bored, being that the restaurant was busy and their meal was taking longer than expected. "Can I go look in the gift shop?" Lucas asked.

Nathan hesitated a bit. Lucas was a responsible young man, but they were in a different country. He wasn't fond of letting the boy go off by himself. Before he could answer, Katie piped up.

"I'll go with him, Sir," she said.

"Thank you, Commander. Be back soon, OK?"

"Right. Thanks, Cap."

Kristin stared out the window, watching the storm rage on. She let her mind wander and became very quiet. Even though things seemed perfectly fine, she still had a feeling of impending doom which she could not shake.

Kristin didn't know how long Nathan had been calling her name when she was slowly shaken out of her daze. "Kristin?" Nathan said. "Are you asleep over there?"

"I'm sorry," she said, finally taking her eyes away from the window and turning to look at him. "I guess I was daydreaming."

"It's alright. I just noticed how quiet you'd become. Are you feeling alright?"

Kristin was about to answer when Lucas and Katie returned. "Check out this book I bought," Lucas said excitedly. He thrust the book in front of Nathan. Nathan reached out and took it from his hand.

Kristin noticed the title. "_Voodoo Possession_?" she asked in surprise. "Why in the world would you want to read about that?"

"Well, vodun, also known as voodoo, is widely practiced in Haiti. I think it's interesting," Lucas said, matter-of-factly.

"Yes, well this book probably sensationalizes it," Nathan explained. "Are you sure it will give you an accurate portrait of voodoo?"

"The shopkeeper assured us that the book was completely legitimate," Katie explained. "She seemed sincere."

"Yes, well, as refreshing as it is that you are expressing an interest to learn about something, I do not want to know about it," Kristin said.

"You just say that because you don't understand it," Lucas said. "Are you afraid?"

Kristin shook her head. "Certainly not. I think that everyone has the right to worship and believe what they like. I just don't want to be involved in it...especially if it has to do with human bones."

"But, you're a doctor," Lucas said.

"Yes, well, I don't place human skulls outside my door either," Kristin said.

"To each his own," Lucas said.

Before Kristin could say anything else, their meal finally arrived. The book was put away and the conversation turned to speaking about the artifacts found from the shipwreck, and, with the storm clearing up, the promise of going back to the site seemed very soon.

They finished their meal, and paid. The storm was over, so they began walking back to the launch. But, as they arrived back to the beach, it was apparent that something was wrong. There was a large silver spot on the side of the launch, indicating it had been struck by lightning.

"Oh no!" Kristin and Katie exclaimed in unison.

Lucas checked on the computer system of the launch. Just as expected, it was completely fried. "I could work on it," Lucas explained to Nathan, "but it's going to take some time."

"No, no, it's alright," Nathan explained. "We'll just go back to the hotel, and I'll call _seaQuest_. They'll send a new launch for us. Let's go," he said.

So, they all walked back to the hotel. Serge asked, "Hello again, Sir. How can I help you?"

Nathan explained their situation to the young man. "So, is it possible we'd be able to use your vid-phone to call our submarine?"

"Of course, Sir."

A few moments later, Nathan was speaking to Ford. "Sir, we're on our way to answer a distress call off the coast of Australia," Ford explained.

"Of course," Nathan said, knowing that they were now too far away for a launch to be sent. "There's no need to worry, Commander. That is more important. We'll be fine until then. You know where we are. We'll be in touch."

After he was finished speaking with Ford, Nathan went back to meet the rest of the crew. "Well, people, it appears we're stranded here for a while."

"How long?" Kristin asked, sounding a bit more distressed than she'd intended.

"A few days...maybe a week."

"A _week_?" Kristin repeated.

"Well, the seaQuest is now off the coast of Australia answering a distress call. As you know, that takes precedence. We'll be fine until then," Nathan explained. "We'll get some hotel rooms; we can buy some clothes in the shops. It will be a mini-vacation."

"Speak for yourself," Kristin said in disgust.


	3. Who's That Girl?

**A/N: I would like to mention that throughout the story, there will be some accurate statements made about the voodoo religion. I have been doing a lot of research for this story, and my goal in it is **_**not**_** to sensationalize it, something horror writers and movie directors often do. I plan to use the facts I have found to weave a horror fic of my own, but I am trying to be respectful of the religion at the same time. I am not a practitioner of voodoo, but I respect **_**all**_** religions for what they are and believe everyone has the right to believe what they like. If you happen to be a practitioner of voodoo, I hope you understand this. If anyone happens to feel that, at any time, I am disrespecting the religion, I kindly ask that you let me know. I will try to revise the disrespectful parts if I can. With that said, I would like to thank all who have read, especially those who have reviewed. Thank you for staying with me, and I hope I don't disappoint anyone.**

**Chapter 3**

The hotel also rented out guest houses. Under the circumstances, Nathan felt that was better suited to them. They would all have their own rooms along with a common area in which they could visit with each other. He took care of all the arrangements while Kristin, Katie and the others browsed the nearby shops for some clothes to wear for the next several days.

Nathan caught up with Kristin as she was paying for the clothes she had picked out. He handed her a key. "Here you go," he said. "You have your own room."

"I do?" she asked in surprise. "Nathan, don't think you have to-"

"We _all_ have our own rooms. I rented a guesthouse for us."

"Oh," Kristin brightened a bit. "That sounds lovely. I can't wait to take a shower."

"You can say that again," Nathan agreed. "Want to help me pick some clothes out?"

Kristin laughed. "You can't pick out your own clothes?"

"Well, I can. But, it's nice to have an opinion on what matches and what doesn't. Haven't you noticed I usually only stick with blues and beiges?"

Kristin nodded. "Yes, well, you look good in blue and beige."

"Can you just help me?" Nathan asked.

"Alright, alright. Calm down."

A short time later, Nathan had purchased enough clothing to suffice for the next several days.

They walked out of the shop and walked into the one next door, where Lucas and Katie were shopping. Lucas was deep in conversation with a young woman, around his age.

"I'd say Lucas is fitting in here," Nathan pointed out to Kristin. They walked over to him and his friend. "Hi, Lucas," Nathan said. "Who's your new friend?"

"Uh, hi," Lucas said, blushing a bit. "Captain, Doctor, this is Tatiana. Tatiana's aunt is a mambo," he explained.

"A what?" Nathan asked.

"A mambo is a voodoo priestess," Lucas explained. "I told her we're stranded here for a few days, and it seems they are having a festival tonight. She's invited us all to go. Can we go...please?" Lucas asked hopefully.

Nathan exchanged a glance with Kristin. He knew she wasn't extremely comfortable with the idea of voodoo. "Uh, Lucas, maybe we shouldn't-"

"No, Nathan," Kristin interrupted. "If Lucas is interested in it, we'll go. It's completely safe, isn't it?" she asked Tatiana.

She laughed a bit and answered, "Yes, madame. It's safe."

"Oh, thank you," Lucas said. "I'll get all the information from Tatiana and catch up with you guys in a bit."

"Right," Nathan said. He and Kristin walked outside and found a bench to sit on. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with it?" he asked her.

Kristin sighed. "I don't, but I was thinking that perhaps Lucas was right."

Nathan looked confused.

"He was right that perhaps I _do_ fear it because I don't understand it. And, it would be best to learn about it...for Lucas. I mean, if we're going to be here for a few days...or longer, we may as well get to know the culture. After all, it's _my_ fault we're stuck here anyway."

"Don't blame yourself," Nathan said trying to reassure her. "It's not like you planned all this."

Kristin was about to answer, but was distracted. As she looked out across the street, she saw a beautiful young woman, perhaps only a few years older than Lucas. The most interesting thing about her was that she was obviously a native Haitian, a person of color; however, she had gorgeous, piercing blue eyes; this fact mesmerized Kristin so that she could not take her eyes off her. And the young woman was staring at Kristin in such a way that Kristin felt slightly uncomfortable.

"Kristin?" she heard Nathan calling her name. "What is with you today? You keep zoning out."

She turned to look at him. "I-I'm sorry Nathan. I suppose I'm just tired." She turned back to where the young woman was standing, but she was gone. Kristin just shrugged it off. "Is Lucas almost finished?" she asked as Katie came to sit with them.

Katie said, with a wry smile on her face, "He's shamelessly flirting with that girl, but I gave him a look. I think he got the message."

Crocker and Levin came out of the neighboring shops and sat with them as they waited for Lucas. Nathan told them what was in store for the evening.

Being superstitious himself, Crocker seemed a bit nervous about the whole thing. "I don't know, Cap..."

"Oh, Gator, you're not going to let us down, are you?" Nathan asked. "Even Kristin is going to give it a chance, and she was feeling nervous about it as well."

"You are?" Crocker asked Kristin.

She nodded with a smile.

Crocker sighed. "Alright, I'll go."

"That's the spirit, Gator," Nathan said, patting him on the back.

Lucas finally came out of the shop. "OK, I got all the info," Lucas explained. "We need to meet Tatiana tonight at 7:00 PM. The actual festival won't start until 8 or so, but she asked us to come early so that she can explain a little about voodoo since she knows we aren't believers."

So, the party began walking to the guest house Nathan had rented. While they were walking, Kristin asked, "Exactly what type of festival is this?"

"Something about honoring Tatiana's dead sister. All I know is that we are all supposed to wear red if we can," Lucas explained. "We are supposed to meet her at the hounfour, their temple."

Luckily, they had all purchased something red, a common color worn in Haiti. Nathan turned to Kristin. "Now I guess I'm glad I let you talk me into that red shirt."

Kristin laughed.

"We're right up there." Nathan pointed to a large white house just up the street.

"If the inside is anything like the outside, this won't be so bad," Katie commented.

"The inside is _better_ than the outside," Nathan said. He turned to Kristin, "I think you'll approve."

She was about to answer when she noticed a group of people in a nearby park. She looked over at them, when she noticed a young woman, the _same_ young woman she had seen earlier. Again, she was enthralled by the woman's eyes, and found it difficult to turn away.

Apparently, she had stopped walking without realizing it because Nathan was soon alongside of her. "Hey, I thought you wanted to take a shower? What are you staring at?"

She moved her eyes to look at him. "I was just looking at..." she said as she pointed and turned her eyes back to where the young woman was standing, but, to her surprise, she had vanished. "Uh...I was...just looking at...the birds," she finally stammered. She wasn't sure if she was seeing things, so she didn't want to appear crazy.

Nathan noticed the strange look on her face, and he didn't quite believe what she was saying; however, he didn't press the issue either. After all, it had been a long, strange day for all of them. She had mentioned she was tired. "Well, there'll be time for that later. You'd better hurry if you want to get a shower before anyone else. Then, you can lie down before we have to leave later."

Kristin nodded, trying to manage a smile. But, she still had a feeling that something just wasn't right.


	4. Living Dead Girl

**Chapter 4**

The guesthouse was even better on the inside, just as Nathan had promised. The house had been built in the 1800's and had not been remodeled in any way since, save for having modern plumbing. The rooms were large and spacious, and Kristin was quite pleased with Nathan's choice.

Kristin had showered and dressed, making a point to wear a red sundress she bought. She felt cleaner, having washed the saltwater residue from her body. However, she had also hoped the shower would wash away her impending feelings of doom; unfortunately, she found no luck on that. She couldn't get that blue-eyed woman out of her mind. The scientific and logical part of her mind told her it was merely coincidence. But, having only been possessed scarcely a month before on _The George_-or perhaps it had only been nitrogen narcosis?-the other part of her mind was telling her that it _wasn't_ just coincidence, that something bad was going to happen, that the blue-eyed woman was some sort of omen. She still mentally debated what exactly _had_ happened that night on _The George_, and she was still nervous about it. She didn't like to speak or think about it...but this woman she kept seeing brought back some of the same feelings she had experienced. Although she couldn't remember all the events from that night, she remembered the feelings-the fear, the hate, the sadness. And she didn't like it.

She went to see what the others were up to, hoping to take her mind off of what she was feeling. Nathan and Lucas were in the common area. Lucas was sharing facts with him about his book.

Nathan heard her enter the room and turned to look at her. "Hey, I thought you were going to lie down?" he asked.

"I was, but I just thought I'd see what everyone else was going to do."

"We're all going to relax until dinner," Nathan said. "You're not going to miss anything. Go and rest; you look tired."

Kristin had to admit she felt tired, unusually tired. "Alright. You'll wake me up for dinner?"

"Of course. Sweet dreams," Nathan said.

Kristin flashed him a small smile and went back to her room. She laid down on the bed and found it was quite comfortable. She closed her eyes and tried to stop the images of the blue-eyed woman from entering her mind; somehow, she must have done so because she soon fell into a deep sleep so that she was soon dreaming.

_Bum, bum, bum, bum. Kristin heard the sound of drumming as the scenery came into focus. Where was she? It was difficult to see in the dimly lit room. There were a few candles hung along the walls, but they didn't help much. It appeared she was in some sort of Haitian temple, but this was a small ceremony. There were two Haitian men sitting in front of two tall drums, playing the constant beat. Bum, bum, bum, bum. The sound was almost deafening. _

_There were four Haitian women standing in the middle of the room in front of some sort of altar. The altar was lit with candles as well. There were wooden, doll-like icons around the altar, including a few skulls. Bum, bum, bum, bum; the drums continued as the women danced and chanted in a language she did not understand. _

_She felt out of place, almost frightened, but she didn't know why. The men and women in the temple didn't seem to notice her presence nor care that she was there even if they did. Bum, bum, bum, bum. The drums continued to pound as the chanting became louder. Bum, bum, bum, bum; the drums grew louder and louder; the chanting became louder. _

_Suddenly everything became quiet. Everyone ceased to move. One of the women turned to look at her, a woman with piercing blue eyes, the same woman she kept seeing. Kristin was frozen in place, frightened by the look in the woman's eyes. Something was telling her to run, but she couldn't even blink. She opened her mouth to scream as the woman came towards her, but no sound came out. All she could do was think, "Please no!"_

"Kristin?" she heard someone calling her name. "Kristin? It's time to wake up," Katie said.

Kristin shot up in bed, gasping for air and her hand flew to her chest right over her pounding heart, willing it to calm down.

"Are you alright, Doc? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Kristin quickly tried to regain her composure. "Y-yes I'm fine. I was just having a vivid dream; you startled me."

"I didn't mean to startle you; the captain asked me to wake you. We're going to get ready to get something for dinner."

"Right," Kristin said, standing up. "Thank you. Give me a few minutes to freshen up, and I'll be downstairs in a bit."

"Of course," Katie said with a smile. "See you in a few." With that, she left the room closing the door behind her.

As Katie left, Kristin took a few more deep breaths trying to calm herself. She also found she was trembling. "Geez, Kristin," she said to herself, "pull yourself together. You can't act like this. Everyone's going to think you're crazy."

The thing was, she was beginning to wonder if she truly was. _Why_ did she keep seeing this woman, and _why_ was the situation frightening her? She didn't have time to ponder it much now, as she heard Nathan calling up the stairs. "Kristin? Are you almost ready?"

"I'll be down in a few minutes," she called back. She willed herself to snap out of whatever she was feeling and went downstairs to meet her friends.

To Kristin's relief, she was able to enjoy her dinner with her friends without any appearances from the blue-eyed woman. In fact, she was able to relax and was completely at ease. After dinner, they headed to the temple, which was within walking distance.

After several minutes, Lucas said, "This is it."

"This looks like a house," Katie said.

"That's because it is," Lucas answered. "The temple is in the backyard; that's common here." He knocked on the door, and Tatiana answered it.

"Hello," she said with a smile. "I'm glad you came. Please follow me; my aunt wants to meet you."

Tatiana lead them through the house to the backyard. "This is my Aunt Brigitte," she motioned towards an older woman dressed in red and wearing a red scarf on her head.

"Hello," Brigitte greeted them with a smile, "welcome."

"Thank you so much for inviting us," Lucas gushed.

"You are quite welcome. We enjoy having visitors. Tatiana told me to give you all a bit of a tour, if you will, and explain a little about what is going to happen tonight," Brigitte said.

Kristin nodded. "If it's not too much trouble."

"Not at all," Brigitte said. "I hope I explain it in a way you can understand. Please feel free to ask questions if you do not."

"Of course," Kristin replied.

Brigitte began, "It may surprise you to know that when you ask us our religion, we would not reply vodun; we would reply Roman Catholic. The reason for this is because Roman Catholicism and vodun have been integrated together in Haiti, and in other regions where vodun is practiced. This syncretism was due to the African slave trades; the slaves hid their religion from their masters so that they wouldn't be punished. Therefore, contrary to popular belief, we are a monotheistic religion. We believe in the same God, Bondye in vodun, as other Christians. The main difference between Catholicism and vodun is the fact that vodun not only reveres the saints, the loa in vodun, but we also serve them. In vodun, Bondye does not concern himself with humans or their affairs. However, the loas do. Therefore, we must show that we are grateful to them."

"How many loas are there?" Lucas asked.

Brigitte laughed a bit. "More than I can name, Dear Boy. The loas are our mediators to Bondye. In our rituals, the houngan and the mambo, the male priest and female priestess respectably, divine the powers of the loa, The houngan and the mambo work hand in hand; they compliment one another."

"Is your husband the houngan?" Katie asked.

Brigitte shook her head. "No, my husband passed away. His brother is the houngan. We always have trainees, if you will, initiates working closely with the houngans and the mambos so that when one passes, there is always another to take his or her place."

Lucas said, "In a book I'm reading, it says that the loas possess people."

Brigitte nodded. "Monter la tete is what we call it. In English, it translates "to mount the head". A human is considered the horse and the loa, the rider. In possession, we say that the loa is dancing in one's head."

"Are the loa evil?" Kristin asked.

"That's a common misconception. Vodun is not evil in the least; therefore our loas are not evil. We mainly use white magic," Brigitte explained, "although I am not going to lie. There are a select few who do practice black magic, and there are a few who alternate between the two. However, this is not widespread, and black magic is not practiced in our home."

"Dr. Westphalen was possessed," Lucas blurted out.

"Lucas," Kristin said.

Brigitte approached Kristin. "You're not a believer?"

Kristin hesitated a bit before she answered. "Well, I'm a woman of science," she replied quietly. "It could have just been nitrogen narcosis."

"I see. I don't know about nitrogen narcosis, but the loa don't just come to anyone; they can be selective. It is a great honor to be touched by a loa."

Kristin wasn't sure how to respond. She didn't want to be disrespectful in any way, but she didn't want to speak about the experience she had had with Lillian either.

But Brigitte didn't press her to answer. She continued, "Now let me show you the altar area and explain a bit about the ceremony." She began walking to another part of the temple, and everyone followed.

As they came to the altar, there was a picture of a young woman placed near the altar. Kristin examined the photograph closely. Suddenly, she realized she knew the young woman for she was the blue-eyed woman Kristin had been seeing. "Who is the young woman in the photo?"

"That's my niece Marielle; she is the reason for the ceremony," Brigitte answered.

"You mean she died?" Kristin asked in surprise.

Brigitte nodded. "But don't worry; she will live again." She continued to explain more about the altar and the ceremony, but Kristin didn't hear her. She was too busy staring at the photo in disbelief.


	5. Retirer D'en Bas De L'eau

**Chapter 5**

"H-how did she die?" Kristin asked Brigitte.

Brigitte turned to Kristin. Kristin must have looked pale because she asked, "Are you alright, Dear? You look ill."

Of course, Kristin didn't feel well at all. "I-I think I need some air. Excuse me." She walked outside the temple and willed herself to calm down. She must be dreaming. Yes, this had to be another nightmare. Nothing made sense. She had almost convinced herself when she felt a hand on her shoulder that caused her to jump and cry out.

"I'm sorry," Nathan said. "I just came to check on you."

Kristin tried to calm her nerves as she said, "Thank you for that."

Nathan took a close look at her; she _was_ pale. She hadn't looked that way at dinner. And, she'd been acting so strange since they arrived in Haiti. "_What_ is going on, Kristin?" he asked with a slight desperation in his voice. He didn't like secrets, especially not from a good friend like Kristin.

"I was just feeling a little faint; I guess I'm not used to the heat. I'll be fine; I'm feeling better now," she lied.

Nathan could sense in her voice that this was not the truth. "Kristin," he said.

"Nathan, I'm fine," she insisted. "Really. Please, just leave it alone We'd better get back to the others," she said, walking back inside.

Nathan wanted to confront her some more, but it wasn't the time for it. He made a mental note to speak with her later and to pay close attention to her and her actions. That was all he could do at the moment. He sighed and went back inside to join her and the others.

When Brigitte noticed Kristin and Nathan had returned, she asked, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you. Your niece, how did she die?" Kristin asked.

"There was an accident," Brigitte answered, "over a year ago."

"What did you mean when you said she would live again?"

Brigitte laughed a bit. "Did you think I meant she would become a zombie? Not in the least. I simply meant that we believe in reincarnation. That's what this ritual is for."

"She died over a year ago, and you're just having a funeral now?" Lucas asked.

"This isn't a funeral," Brigitte corrected. "Our belief is that every person has two parts to his or her soul, gros bon ange and ti bon ange. The former is the great good angel and the latter is the little good angel. After death, the gros bon ange, which is the part of the soul that represents the life force, leaves a few weeks after death. The ti bon ange is one's personality, experience, and knowledge. This ritual is the retirer d'en bas de l'eau; the ti bon ange is in a liminal state after death. Basically, the ti bon ange is at the crossroads of Guinee, the afterlife. One year and one day after death, this ritual must be performed to ensure that the ti bon ange crosses over. If not done or if delayed too long, the ti bon ange will be doomed to wander the earth in this liminal state, and the ti bon ange may cause illness and disaster to others."

"So, essentially, Marielle's spirit is wandering the earth aimlessly right now?" Kristin asked.

"In a way, yes," Brigitte confirmed. "Now if you will all follow me, I'd like to show you-"

"Excuse me," Kristin interrupted, "I just have one more question. Would anyone be able to see Marielle?"

"You mean her spirit?" Brigitte asked.

Kristin nodded.

"Possibly, but she would probably only show herself to family members. Why do you ask?"

"Uh, no reason. I was just...curious," Kristin answered.

"Well, if there are no other questions, I'll continue then," Brigitte said.

No one said anything, so she continued speaking about what was to happen in the ritual. Nathan kept watching Kristin and her actions. Kristin felt his eyes on her. "What?" she whispered to him.

"Nothing," he said. "Was I staring?"

Kristin nodded. "You don't need to worry about me."

"Who said I was worrying?"

"The look on your face," she said. "I'm fine." She placed a reassuring hand on his arm, but the trembling of her hand betrayed her.

"Kristin? You're shaking," Nathan observed worriedly. He placed his arm around her shoulders to confirm that she was indeed trembling. "What's going on?"

People started filing into the temple as the ceremony was to begin shortly. "Not now," Kristin told him. "We'll have to talk about it later, alright?"

Nathan nodded but he tightened his grip on her to reassure her, then released her as they sat down in the area Brigitte had designated for them. Tatiana sat near them so that she could explain anything Brigitte had missed in her previous explanations.

The drums began, sounding much like those in Kristin's dream, constant and deafening. Brigitte and the houngan began chanting and leading the ceremony.

"They are chanting in Haitian creole," she explained. "They are calling Marielle's esprit, her spirit."

Then a large ox was brought in. "An animal sacrifice is given to ensure that the loa will accept Marielle's esprit," Tatiana continued.

The drums got louder and the chanting became louder as the ox was slaughtered. Kristin watched the ceremony in awe. It bore a striking resemblance to her dream, save for the animal sacrifice. But, she was actually relieved that she had agreed to attend. Although she still wasn't sure what to believe-if she really _was_ seeing a spirit or not-she hoped that this would stop her from seeing Marielle after this ritual was over and complete.

As the ritual continued, Kristins' eyes scanned the room. As she looked around, a gasp escaped her when she saw Marielle staring right at her from the other side. Since the drums were so loud, no one heard. She stood up, feeling the need to get away.

"What's the matter?" Nathan asked loudly.

"I'm feeling a little warm." Kristin said. "I need some air."

"Let me go with you," Nathan said, not wanting her to go alone. He didn't know what was going on, and he didn't want her going anywhere by herself.

"It's alright," she said. "I just need a few moments. Just stay here."

Against his better judgement, Nathan didn't argue with her. He watched her as long as he could as she disappeared through the crowd.

Outside, Kristin took several deep breaths. "Calm down," she told herself. But, she had the feeling she was being watched. She turned around, and Marielle was standing right in front of her, just inches away from her.

A scream escaped Kristin's throat, but no one heard her. Kristin felt faint once again, overwhelmed by what was happening. Suddenly, everything went black as Kristin fell to the ground.


	6. Night of the Living Dead

**Chapter 6**

Nathan tried not to worry about Kristin, but he couldn't help noticing she had been gone a little too long for his liking. He looked at his watch. She'd been gone ten minutes, ten minutes too long, in his opinion. He did promise her he wouldn't be a mother hen, but he _was_ concerned. It wasn't like Kristin to act so strangely...and there obviously _was_ a problem of some sort because she had said they'd talk later. If there wasn't a problem, what was there to talk about? No, this wasn't just needless worrying on his part, and he decided he wasn't going to feel guilty for worrying. And he wasn't going to feel guilty for checking on her either.

He walked outside and looked around. Under the dimly-lit street lamp, he saw something that he couldn't quite make out. As he walked closer, his fears were confirmed as he could tell it was indeed Kristin. He was at her side in a moment, and he carefully turned her over so that she was face-up. She moaned softly but did not awaken. She didn't look injured, so that was a relief. "Kristin, wake up," he said softly, trying to coax her out of her unconsciousness. However, his efforts to awaken her were not efficacious. He knew he needed Dr. Levin, but he definitely wasn't going to leave her alone either. So, he effortlessly picked her up and carried her to the doorway. Luckily, Levin and the others were not too far away, and they noticed him immediately.

Joshua rushed to Nathan's side. "What happened?" he asked.

"I'm not sure; I walked outside and found her lying on the ground."

Tatiana, Lucas, and the others went to see what was going on as well. Luckily, Tatiana brought them into the house so that Joshua could examine Kristin properly since it was too dark outside and there was no room in the temple. She showed them to a guest room and Nathan gently laid Kristin down on the bed. Then, he left the room to allow Joshua to examine Kristin to the best of his abilities without any medical equipment except for a first aid kit, which Tatiana had offered him.

Nathan went out to the living room to sit with the others. They all looked worried about Kristin and looked at him questioningly. "Your guess is as good as mine," he said to them as he sat down.

A short time later, Joshua came out of the bedroom. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when he said, "She's awake, and she's fine. As far as I can tell, it was just a normal fainting spell with no real medical cause. She was probably just a little too warm or too excited."

"C-can we see her," Nathan asked.

Joshua nodded. "But I don't think we ought to go back to the temple tonight, at least _she_ shouldn't. I would really rather she rest. I think we ought to call a taxi and go back to the guest house."

Nathan nodded in agreement, and no one else argued, not even Lucas. The ceremony had been interesting but was quite overwhelming. Lucas turned to Tatiana. "Do you mind if we leave?"

"Of course not," she said with a smile. "Let me show you where our vid-phone is." So, Lucas took it upon himself to call the taxi for them while Nathan went in to see Kristin.

"Hey," he said quietly as he knocked on the door frame, "you gave us all a scare." He walked into the room and sat down in a chair next to her bed.

"I'm sorry," Kristin said as she tried to sit up, but Nathan stopped her from doing so.

"You're supposed to rest," he chided. "Lucas is calling us a cab so we can go back to the guest house, and you can get some sleep."

"Hmmm, that's very kind but I don't want to put anybody out."

"You will not be putting anyone out. I think everyone's tired. It's been a hell of a day."

Kristin nodded in agreement.

There was a slight pause of silence, but Nathan finally asked the question weighing on his mind. "So, do you want to tell me what happened?"

"What's to tell? I felt weak, and I fainted," Kristin said matter-of-factly.

"I realize that," Nathan said, a bit frustrated. "You told me we'd talk to me later; something's been bothering you."

Kristin sighed. She knew why she fainted; she'd been so scared. She'd been seeing ghosts, well, at least one in particular. She would sound like that kid from _The Sixth Sense_ if she told him she saw dead people. Sure, there was a chance Nathan might believe her, but there was also a chance he'd relieve her of duty for a while. As she mulled it over in her mind, it _did_ sound crazy. Sure, the crew members that were in Haiti all had been on _The George_, so they all knew about the experience with Lillian. But, no one really acknowledged it as a fact, at least not to her. For all they knew, they all experienced nitrogen narcosis, and it was merely a hallucination. Obviously, there was no chance of nitrogen narcosis in Haiti, so the whole thing could very well be her mind creating the illusion. She definitely couldn't tell him. "It's nothing," she lied.

"Now just a minute-" Nathan began harshly, but he stopped when he took the time to look at her, _really_ look at her. She looked peaked, as though she hadn't slept in days, although he knew that she had. In addition to that, she looked very pale, and the look in her eyes was one of fright, like a deer caught in headlights. But what was she frightened about? He took this into consideration before speaking again. "Kristin, please. I'm worried about you," he said calmly.

"Nathan, there's nothing to worry about. I'm just tired. really tired," Kristin admitted. She _was_ tired; that wasn't a lie. She felt as though she could sleep for a week. Why was she so damned tired? Normally, she only needed six hours of sleep, and she had gone on less than that plenty of times before. "We'll go back to the guest house, like you said, and I'll get some rest. By tomorrow, I should feel much better, and everything will be fine. Then, maybe you can call Commander Ford and find out how he is coming along in Australia? Perhaps they will have finished early. Then everything can go back to normal." Normal sounded so good right then. She wanted nothing more than for everything to go back to the way it was.

Nathan was silent for a moment, trying to determine if she was telling the truth. Before he could speak, Lucas came into the room. "Uh, sorry to interrupt. Hi, Doc," he waved to her, and she smiled at him. "The cab's here."

"We'll be out in a minute," Nathan told him. "Thanks, Kiddo."

"Right, see you in a bit." With that, Lucas left the room.

Kristin began to sit up so that they could leave, but Nathan stopped her. "You're not walking out there. I'm carrying you."

Normally, Kristin would have argued. She wasn't a wilting flower; she was perfectly capable of the simple task of walking outside, at least when she felt well. But, she wasn't feeling well, and frankly, she didn't know if she could manage to walk the short distance without passing out all over again. So, she graciously accepted the help. As Nathan scooped her up, she rested her head on his shoulder because she felt terribly dizzy. He carried her outside and helped her into the cab before climbing in beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder again and closed her eyes, hoping that she _would _feel better tomorrow. The others noticed this was definitely _not_ Kristin's normal behavior and thought the same thing as they all became increasingly worried about their CMO.

When they arrived back at the guest house a short time later, Nathan once again scooped Kristin up and carried her upstairs to her room. He helped her into bed. "Do you need anything?" he asked.

Kristin shook her head. "You've done more than enough."

"It was my pleasure; you just get some rest. Good night."

Kristin closed her eyes and turned over. Nathan turned the lights off for her, and quietly eased towards the door. He heard Kristin say, "Nathan?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Anytime. Good night."

"Good night." And with that, Nathan left the room, closing the door behind him.

It didn't take long for Kristin to fall asleep. Soon, she was dreaming once again.

_She was walking through a dense forest wearing a white gown. There was a thick fog hanging in the air, like a scene from a horror movie. She looked around and saw no one. But, she still felt afraid, though she wasn't sure why. She wasn't sure where she was, but she knew she had to get out of that forest. She began to walk, suddenly realizing she was barefoot. She looked around for her shoes, but didn't see them. After a few moments, she decided it wasn't important because she could hear drums in the distance, and that fact frightened her even more._

_She began to run. As she ran, branches caught on her dress, tearing at it as she moved. The branches also scratched her arms and face as she ran through the forest. Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. She stopped and listened. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Her heart pounded as she heard the footsteps coming closer. She slowly turned and saw Marielle glaring at her with those piercing blue eyes of hers. Her voice caught in her throat as she tried to scream. She didn't know how, but she was able to move. She began running as fast as she could, but Marielle matched her speed, following closely behind her._

_As Kristin ran, the drums became louder; she was running toward the sound. Bum, bum, bum, bum. The constant drumming and the fact that she was being pursued by Marielle was more than she could take. Finally, she came into a clearing. Unfortunately, the clearing was a graveyard, and it wasn't much of a comfort. But, there were other people there, so she was hoping to blend in. _

_However, as she came closer to the others, she noticed something frightening. They appeared to be apparitions, ghosts. Kristin suddenly realized she was trapped. She turned behind her, and saw Marielle next to her. She turned the other way and saw scores of other spirits blocking her exit. She screamed as Marielle grabbed her arm._


	7. More Questions Than Answers

**A/N: Just a quick thank you for the reviews I've gotten thus far. I greatly appreciate them. As always, reviews are always appreciated. Thank you.**

**Chapter 7**

Nathan woke up to strange sounds; they weren't terribly loud, but they were loud enough to stir him out of a deep sleep. He sat up and listened for a moment, trying to determine what the noises were and where they were coming from.

"No, please!" he heard a feminine voice cry in angst. Kristin! He knew the noises were from Kristin. His room was right next to hers, so he got out of bed and stood outside her door. "No!" he heard her cry again. He knocked on her door. "Kristin, are you OK?" There was no answer. Nathan opened the door to find Kristin in the throes of a nightmare; she was thrashing around, obviously fighting with some invisible enemy Nathan couldn't see.

"Kristin, you're dreaming. Wake up," he said, trying to get her to come back to reality but to no avail. Her cries woke the others as they too got out of bed to see what was the matter.

"It's OK," Nathan told them. "She's just having a nightmare; I'll handle it. Go back to sleep."

The others exchanged concerned glances but did do as Nathan said.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. "Kristin?"

Still Kristin did not wake. "No!" she moaned.

Nathan put both his hands on her shoulders and shook her a bit harder. "Kristin, wake up."

Kristin clawed at his arms violently, trying to push him away. "Get away!" she yelled, still asleep.''

Nathan shook her hard again and said, "Damn it, Kristin, wake up!"

Finally, Kristin let out a blood-curdling scream as she awoke. Nathan wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders as she began to cry. "Sshh. It's OK; you're OK," he said.

After several moments, Kristin calmed down. Nathan released her. "That was some dream, huh?"

She nodded. "Thank you," she said quietly. "I-I didn't mean to wake you."

"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault," Nathan said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Kristin thought for a moment. "I-" she began, but then, she noticed Nathan's arms. "Nathan, your arms are bleeding. D-did...did I _do_ that?"

Nathan looked at his arms. Indeed, he did have scratches from her fingernails on his arms, and some were bleeding. In the heat of the moment, he hadn't noticed until she said something. He nodded. "But, don't worry about it. It's not like you knew what was happening."

Kristin sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I've had worse things done to me." He stood up and said, "I'll be right back." He walked into the bathroom and cleaned his scratches. He returned a few moments later. "See," he showed her his arms, "Good as new."

He expected a smile or some kind of pleasing reaction from her, but she just sat and stared. She looked so frail and tired, not at all like the Kristin he knew. "What's going on?" he asked.

"If-if I tell you, do you promise you won't think I'm crazy?"

Nathan stared at her for a moment. He debated trying to make light of the situation to cheer her up, but the look on her face was so serious that he couldn't. "I promise," he said, placing his hand on hers and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"And, I-I don't want you to tell the others what I am about to tell you. I am telling you this in confidence."

Nathan nodded.

"Ever since we've arrived in Jacmel, I've been seeing this girl...a girl with blue eyes. And, I didn't know why until we met Brigitte, but I always felt afraid every time I saw her. Then...after we met Brigitte, and we saw that picture of her niece, well...apparently, I've been seeing Marielle, both when I am awake _and_ asleep."

Nathan was silent for a moment, which worried Kristin. "You don't believe me, do you?" she asked.

Nathan felt a bit guilty that his silence was misread. "No, I believe you. I'm sorry. I just wasn't sure what to say."

"You could start by telling me I'm not crazy."

"You're not crazy, and I _mean_ that. Kristin, you are the sanest person I know. I'm sure there is a logical explanation to all of this."

"I just hope Commander Ford hurries back," Kristin said worriedly.

There was another moment of silence. Then, Nathan said, "Why don't you lie back and go back to sleep? I'll stay with you until you do."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course; what are friends for? Lie down," he urged.

Kristin obliged. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Close your eyes and relax."

Nathan turned down the lights and back down in the chair. As Kristin rested, she and Nathan spoke quietly about nothing in particular...just anything to get Kristin to relax so she could sleep soundly. As the minutes went by, Kristin's responses came slower, which told Nathan she _was_starting to relax. Finally, her responses didn't come at all as Nathan listened to her slow, rhymic breathing. "Are you asleep?" he asked.

He received no answer, and was pleased about it. He quietly left the room and shut the door behind him.

The rest of the evening went on without incident; there were no further visits from Marielle, and Kristin awoke feeling refreshed. She felt like she was finally well-rested in what seemed like a very long time, although it was merely a few days ago. She sat up and listened for the others, but heard no one. She looked at the clock and saw that it was late morning...almost noon, in fact. She got out of bed and saw a note on the table. It read: _Good morning, Sleepyhead. We went out to see the sites; we didn't want to disturb you. Come look for us if you'd like; we won't go far. Nathan_

A small smile came to her face; it was very kind of them to let her sleep. She decided to go take a shower and dress so she could find them. If she hurried, she could meet them for lunch; she was quite famished.

As she walked into the bathroom, she cried out because she bumped her arm on the door frame. It was extremely painful, more painful than a bump like that _should_ be. Come to think of it, her arm had been throbbing since she woke up, but she really didn't notice it. She looked at her arm and almost fainted by what she saw. There were large purple bruises in the shape of a hand.

She got into the shower, thinking she'd be able to wash the marks away. Maybe it was just dirt; she had to be seeing things. She knew Nathan hadn't grabbed her that hard; the only one she'd been grabbed by was Marielle. But _that_ was just a dream. This really couldn't be happening. There had to be a logical explanation, like Nathan had said. But, at the moment, the only logical explanation she could think of was that she was truly losing her mind.

To her dismay, no matter how hard she scrubbed, the bruises remained. She finished her shower and got dressed. She really didn't want to have to explain the marks on her arm to anyone. In fact, she didn't know if they were _really _there at all. Perhaps those were an illusion as well, but she didn't want to take the chance. Therefore, despite the heat, she put a long-sleeved shirt on over the tank top she was wearing. Then, she went out to find the others.

She opted to check the restaurant next to the guest house first, being the most logical place they might be. To her luck, they were there. Nathan waved to her.

"Hi, glad you decided to join the living," he said, immediately feeling sorry afterwards. "I-it's just an expression," he said apologetically.

"It's alright," she said with a smile. "Where's Lucas?"

"He's off with Tatiana somewhere. He'll be back later." Then, he added, "You look better today."

"I _feel_ better today, for the most part. Have you ordered yet?"

Nathan shook his head. "We were waiting for you," he said as he handed her a menu. "I figured you'd be hungry."

Kristin nodded as she began to look through the menu.

"Uh, listen, I talked to Commander Ford..."

"Oh," Kristin said hopefully.

"Well, it looks like we're going to be here for a few more days."

Kristin looked dejected.

"It's only a few days," Nathan assured her.

She nodded, but said nothing. Nathan noticed she was sweating. "Kristin, it's over a hundred degrees. Why don't you take that long-sleeved shirt off?"

"I'm a little chilly," she lied.

"Kristin, you're sweating," Nathan pointed out.

"Nathan, leave it alone," she snapped a bit harshly, leaving Nathan taken aback.

"Excuse me," she said quietly. "I need a little air." She walked outside. This was a nightmare. She was being rude to her friends, seeing apparitions, and who know what else could happen? As if Marielle could read her mind...or was only taunting her, she appeared on the other side of the street. She stood frozen for a moment, unsure of what to do. She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped.

"I'm sorry," Nathan said, "I just wanted to make sure you're OK."

Kristin looked to the spot where Marielle had been, but she was gone. "It's alright," Kristin said. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's OK. I just wanted you to be comfortable. That shirt doesn't look comfortable."

Kristin _did _feel warm. Not thinking, she rolled her sleeves up.

"My God, Kristin! What the _hell_ happened to your arm?"

Kristin looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I don't know," she said.

It broke his heart to see her like this. "Calm down," he said. "Let's get something to eat. Then, I think we need to pay a visit to Marielle's family. Maybe they'll have some answers for us."


	8. The Mark of the Loa

**Chapter 8**

Nathan and Kristin headed to Brigitte's house. Nathan knocked on the door. After a few moments, Brigitte answered.

"Captain Bridger, Doctor," Brigitte said, "what can I do for you?"

Nathan exchanged a glance with Kristin before speaking. "We were wondering if we could come in. We need to talk."

Brigitte was confused, but she allowed them to enter.

"Sit down," she motioned towards the sofa. "Would anyone care for a drink?"

Nathan and Kristin shook their heads. Brigitte sat down in a chair across from the sofa. "What is this about?" she asked.

"It's about Marielle," Kristin began. "Has anyone ever told you they saw her since she's been deceased?"

Brigitte laughed. "Of course not," she answered. "Why in the world would you ask such a thing?"

"Because _I've_ seen her," Kristin said. "I don't know why, but I've seen her several times, both when I am awake _and_ asleep. And your niece doesn't seem very friendly to me either."

Brigitte stared at Kristin in disbelief, but the look on her face told them she might be hiding something. "I don't believe you."

"Show her your arm," Nathan told Kristin.

Kristin rolled up her sleeve and showed Brigitte her arm. Brigitte did not seem surprised as one might expect. "It's the mark of the loa," she said quietly. "You're telling me this is from Marielle?"

Kristin nodded.

Brigitte sighed. "This isn't the first time this has happened."

"You mean others have seen Marielle?" Nathan asked. "Why did you lie?"

"I'm sorry," Brigitte said. "It's just that many people have heard about the story, and we've had a lot of hoaxes. I had to be sure you were telling the truth."

"So, what happened?" Nathan asked.

"Marielle disappeared four years ago," Brigitte began.

"Disappeared?" Kristin repeated. "But at the ceremony last night, you said-"

"We've had that ritual twice before last night. Let me explain," Brigitte answered.

"I raised Marielle, along with her sister since they were young girls; their parents died in the earthquake of 2010. Their mother was a very religious woman, and she always wanted the girls to be involved in the religion. I made sure of that. But, when Marielle was seventeen, she began becoming interested in black magic. I was very angry when I found out. I forbade her to have anything to do with it."

Brigitte paused for a moment.

"But she didn't listen?" Nathan asked.

Brigitte nodded. "She became involved with a bokor, one who practices black vodun, a sorcerer. He formed a small religious group."

"A cult?" Kristin asked.

"You could call it that," Brigitte continued. "But they dabbled in things which they did not understand-spells to raise the dead, spells to get what they want. That isn't what this family believes. One day, Marielle just disappeared."

"So you don't even know she's dead?" Nathan asked.

Brigitte said, "We can't confirm it, but investigators believe it so. They say that some sort of ritual was performed in which Marielle and the others drew spirits into their own bodies."

"The loa," Nathan said.

Brigitte said, "Not the loa we've come to adore. These loa are dangerous; these loa will do harm to humans." Then, she continued, "Marielle's body still hasn't been found. A year and a half after she disappeared, investigators changed it from a missing person's case to a homicide case. That's when we started the retirer d'en bas de l'eau rituals; we believed she was dead as well. But, if such rituals are not done exactly one year and one day after death, the soul cannot cross over. And, it was after this that sightings of Marielle began."

"What happened to the rest of the group Marielle was with when she disappeared?" Nathan asked.

"In jail, to my knowledge," Brigitte answered. "Since Marielle disappeared, there have been several sightings. But, then, when it comes to missing people, there always are. None of them could be confirmed as her. However, strange incidences began occurring."

"What kind of incidences?" Kristin asked, her voice shaky.

"Stories similar to yours. She would reveal herself to certain people, make her presence known."

"I-is she dangerous?"

Brigitte sighed and nodded her head. "She's said to feed off others' life source. We've tried putting her soul to rest, but we haven't succeeded."

"Why in the world would she go after Kristin?" Nathan asked.

"I don't know. Some people are just more receptive to these types of experiences. And, since we already know that she already had a similar experience...well, I am sure Marielle can sense that. And, Kristin is a strong woman, something Marielle is attracted to."

"What do you mean?"

"Marielle wants to live once again. She feeds off strong souls. She will hunt you down and make you sick. You're going to start feeling tired and weak, and you won't know why-spirit sickness. If we don't do something now...you could die."

Kristin's voice caught in her throat at these words. She was very frightened.

"So, what can we do?" Nathan asked as he squeezed Kristin's hand.

Brigitte thought for a moment. "I can do perform a protection ritual for you. And make you a gris gris bag."

"What's that?" Kristin asked.

"It's just a small charm, a bag filled with herbs and stones. You wear it around your neck for protection."

Kristin nodded.

"So, when can we do this?" Nathan asked.

"I can do it now, if you'd like. The sooner, the better."

Kristin agreed.

"Follow me," Brigitte said.

She led them to the hounfor and had Kristin lie down on the floor. Then, she used corn meal to make several veves, voodoo religious symbols, around her body. Then, Brigitte lit several candles and began chanting in Haitian creole. "I am asking the loa to protect your soul," she explained. Then, there was more chanting. And, finally, Brigitte took up a small cloth bag with a string attached. She began filling it with fragrant herbs and stones.

"Get up," she told Kristin.

She placed the bag around her neck and said a few more words in Haitian creole. "This will protect you. Do not remove it, no matter what," Brigitte told her.

Kristin nodded and gave her a hug to thank her. "Thank you so much," Kristin said gratefully, believing everything would be alright.

"You are welcome my child. Go with God."

Kristin began walking outside, and Nathan turned to follow her. Brigitte grabbed his arm.

"Do not leave her alone," she told him.

"You mean she's still in danger?" Nathan asked.

"I have done all I can, but Marielle is strong. I cannot guarantee it. Just keep an eye on her at all times. And, the best thing I can tell you is to leave as soon as you can. And, I'm sorry."

Nathan nodded gravely and went to meet Kristin.


	9. She'll Never Stop

**Chapter 9**

As Kristin went outside, she tried to admit to herself she was feeling better. But, she wasn't. She had this invisible monkey on her back she couldn't seem to shake. She scanned the people walking through the streets for any sign of Marielle, and, naturally, she _did_ see her. She was standing near a tree on the other side of the street, staring at her with those piercing eyes. She suddenly began to feel afraid once again. Where the _hell_ was Nathan? She turned away from Marielle to look towards the door of Brigitte's home to see if he was coming. Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump.

"Sorry," Nathan said.

"Oh, will you _quit_ doing that?" Kristin said, annoyed.

"I'm sorry," Nathan said again.

"What _were_ you doing?"

"I was just talking to Brigitte for a few minutes," Nathan said. He had opted against telling Kristin Brigitte's warning, at least for the moment. She was still jumpy, he noticed. No sense in scaring her any more than she already was. He made a mental note to just make sure she was never left alone. He would speak with the others later, without Kristin's knowledge.

"About what?" Kristin asked.

"Just about the ritual. You know, I wanted to make sure you were safe," he said. It wasn't a lie exactly.

Kristin nodded. Then, she looked behind Nathan's shoulder to if Marielle was still there, but she was gone.

"What are you looking at?" Nathan asked.

"Nothing," she said. She managed a smile for his benefit. "Shall we go find the others?" she asked, clutching the bag of herbs around her neck as though it might float away.

Nathan placed an arm around her shoulders. "Yeah, let's go."

Kristin was very quiet on their walk. She was still afraid, but she didn't want to express this to Nathan. He'd made a point to be sure she was safe, even spoke with Brigitte about it, apparently. She didn't want to make him worry any more than he already was. So, she decided she wouldn't share anything with him yet. Besides, the ritual was supposed to protect her; it didn't mean she wouldn't still see Marielle, right? It just meant that Marielle couldn't hurt her. At least, she hoped it would do just that.

A few moments later, they ran into Lucas and Tatiana. "Hi, guys," Nathan greeted them. "What are you two up to?"

"Tatiana's been showing me around the city," Lucas explained. Then he noticed Kristin, "Hi, Doc. Are you feeling better today?"

Kristin nodded. "Thank you, Dear."

Tatiana noticed the gris gris bag around Kristin's neck. "You've seen my aunt today?" she asked.

Nathan and Kristin exchanged glances. They weren't sure what to tell them; but it was obvious Tatiana may know the reason.

"You've seen her, haven't you?" Tatiana looked into Kristin's eyes, searching for the answer.

"Seen who?" Lucas asked, obviously confused.

Nathan put his arm around Lucas. "Maybe we should give them a few moments alone, hm?" He led Lucas to the other side of the street.

"What the heck is this all about?" Lucas asked him.

"It's a long story," Nathan said.

Meanwhile, Tatiana asked once again, "Have you been seeing her?"

"H-how did you know?" Kristin stammered.

"Because I've known others who've seen her," Tatiana explained. "And they always go to Brigitte."

"Did Marielle harm them?" Kristin asked seriously.

Tatiana cringed at the mention of her sister's name. "You need to understand; we see nothing as an accident. If someone falls ill, it is because of a spirit. If someone loses his or her job, it may be because he or she is cursed. We have a reason for everything. So, when it comes to the others who did see Marielle, anyone outside of the vodun belief would say that Marielle did nothing to them. But, we say that she did. Some of them died from illness. Some of them experienced tragedy through loss of money or a streak of bad luck."

"And they all went to see your aunt?" Kristin asked.

Tatiana nodded. "Well, perhaps not all, but most of them, I think. It's always the same thing. They begin seeing her, dreaming about her. And, they always feel frightened. We've tried to put her to rest. Do you know how expensive the retirer d'en bas d'leau is? We have to ask the community to pool their money together in order to have it? And, we've done it three times now-but it doesn't help. I've tried to convince the rest of the family that it's no use-that Marielle will never stop."

"Has anyone ever tried repeating the spell or the ritual that was done the night she disappeared?" Kristin asked.

Tatiana shook her head. "It's too much of a risk. The others who were with her that night won't even tell what exactly they were doing."

"Have you ever seen her?" Kristin asked.

Tatiana shook her head. "When I first heard she was coming to people, I would constantly look for her, hoping I would see just a glimpse of her, but I never did. I don't know why she chooses the people she does, but no one in my family has ever seen her that I know of."

"But wouldn't you be afraid that she might harm you?"

Tatiana laughed lightly. "She'd never harm her sister."

Kristin didn't know what to say to this.

Tatiana broke the awkward silence. "Um, listen, I have to go. Tell Lucas I had fun. Maybe I'll be able to see him tomorrow." With that, she turned to leave.

Kristin sighed and turned to where Nathan and Lucas were standing. Nathan stared at her expectantly; she walked slowly towards to where he and Lucas were.

"Everything alright?" Nathan asked.

"Everything's fine," Kristin said. She looked at Lucas. "Did you two have fun?"

Lucas nodded. "What did Tatiana want to speak to you about?"

"Oh, it was just girl talk, Dear," she said with a smile, hoping it was genuine-looking so that he wouldn't see through it.

He must have believed it because he smiled back and blushed a bit. "Did she mention me?"

Kristin nodded. "She said to tell you that she had a good time today...and that she hopes to see you tomorrow."

"Yes!" Lucas shouted, as if he had scored a goal, causing Nathan to laugh. Kristin forgot her own problems and laughed a bit as well.

Nathan patted Lucas' shoulder. "Come on, Loverboy. Let's go back to the guesthouse, and you can tell us about your day?"

So, the three of them walked back to the guesthouse. The walk was uneventful, and Kristin was thankful for that.

When they walked inside, Kristin began climbing the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Nathan asked her.

Kristin chuckled. "Can I use the bathroom without you worrying?"

"Sorry," Nathan said.

"I'll be back in a minute, worrywart," Kristin told him.

Kristin went upstairs and walked into the bathroom. She looked in the mirror. God, she looked a fright. She'd gotten more sleep than she was used to, yet she had dark circles under her eyes. And, she looked pale, even though she'd been getting more sun than normal as well. She sighed and ran some cool water and used her hands to splash some on her face. Then, she turned to grab a towel off the shelf next to the basin to dry her face off. As she began drying her face, she looked in the mirror again. And to her horror, standing behind her was Marielle. And she began to scream.


	10. Weakness

**Chapter 10**

Nathan ran up the stairs with Lucas right on his heels. Nathan instinctively tried opening the bathroom door, but he found it was locked. He pounded on the door. "Kristin! Kristin? Are you alright? Unlock the door." Lucas joined in, "Doctor? Please let us know you're alright."

But, on the other side of the door, Kristin stood frozen in fear. She could not even hear Nathan and Lucas' cries as Marielle loomed over her.

"Lucas," Nathan said, "find out if the desk clerk has a key to this door."

Lucas obediently ran to check.

Meanwhile, Kristin backed away towards the door. However, she suddenly realized she was trapped as she fumbled with the doorknob and found it wouldn't budge. She turned back to Marielle. "Please," she pleaded. "Please don't do this."

But Marielle didn't seem to listen nor care about Kristin's pleas. She reached out and grabbed Kristin's arm, and Kristin fell into a dead faint.

_Kristin was in the same forest she'd seen in her previous dream. Only this time, Marielle was next to her, still holding her arm. Kristin tried to get away, but Marielle's grip was too strong. She began running, pulling Kristin along with her. Kristin found herself stumbling a bit as it was difficult for her to keep up with Marielle's fast pace. _

_Finally, Marielle stopped short; Kristin was relieved she could finally catch her breath. But as Kristin began looking around her, her fear heightened when she realized that they were in the cemetary she'd seen in her last dream. There were other souls there as well. Suddenly, Kristin realized all eyes were on her, and she felt very frightened. She felt Marielle pull her gently towards the other souls. Kristin tried to resist, but Marielle pulled her harder. The souls parted ways to let them pass as Marielle pulled her towards a freshly dug grave._

_Kristin suddenly realized what was happening and she screamed, "No!" But Marielle pulled her harder still. As Marielle pulled Kristin to the edge of the grave, Kristin shut her eyes tightly, expecting to be pushed into the grave. But, to her surprise, Marielle stopped pulling her. Kristin carefully opened her eyes and saw Marielle pointing to something inside the grave. Kristin reluctantly peered inside the grave and saw bones. _

"I'm sorry, Sir," the desk clerk, whom Lucas had brought back to the guest house, told Nathan, "but this doorknob doesn't lock."

"What?" Nathan said. "No, there must be a mistake. My friend is locked in there. I heard her scream, and we haven't been able to open the door."

The desk clerk tried the doorknob, and it turned easily. "I'm sorry, Sir, but we really don't have time for pranks here."

"You have to believe us," Lucas countered. "It really was locked."

The desk clerk said nothing. He just walked away, shaking his head.

Nathan turned back to the bathroom door, half-expecting the door handle not to turn once again. However, it did, and his heart sank when he saw Kristin lying on the floor. He rushed to her side, and Lucas followed. "Kristin," Nathan gently shook her.

"Ugh," Kristin groaned softly. Nathan and Lucas were relieved to see her eyelids flutter open, though she looked confused.

"Can you sit up?" Nathan asked her.

Kristin nodded and Nathan and Lucas helped her up, though she faltered a bit. Nathan caught her. "Easy, easy," he said.

They helped her to her own bed in the bedroom. Nathan turned to Lucas. "Lucas, why don't you see if you can find Dr. Levin please?"

"Right, uh, no problem," he said, although he was reluctant to leave.

Nathan seemed to notice and he whispered, "Don't worry; she'll be fine."

Lucas nodded, feeling somewhat reassured, and he left.

Nathan turned back to Kristin. She looked pale and tired. "What happened?" he asked her gently.

Until then, she'd had her eyes shut. She opened them to look at him. Nathan noticed they had a faraway look in them that concerned him. "I-I'm not sure," she said.

"You screamed."

"I did? I don't remember," Kristin told him. Although, she _knew_ full well what happened; she just didn't want to tell him. She hoped he didn't see through it. She didn't have the energy at the moment for an interrogation.

"Did you see her again?" Nathan asked, trying to draw some information out of her.

"No," she lied. "Look, can't I just rest right now? I'm so tired." _That_ wasn't a lie. She felt like she had when she passed out at the ritual. All her strength was gone.

Nathan didn't believe her, but she didn't look well. Therefore, he didn't have the heart to press the issue at the moment; he decided he would speak with her later. "Right, of course," Nathan said. "I'll be nearby if you need me, and Dr. Levin should be here soon."

Kristin nodded. "Thank you," she said as she turned over and closed her eyes. Nathan grabbed a blanket from the end of the bed and spread it over her.

A short time later, Lucas returned with Dr. Levin, Commander Hitchcock, and Chief Crocker. Dr. Levin went upstairs to check on Kristin while Nathan explained to the others what had happened. Nathan also saw this as his opportunity to explain what had been going on with Kristin altogether and to let the others know that Kristin shouldn't be left alone.

As usual, Lucas found it fascinating. "Cool," he said.

"No, it is _not_ 'cool'," Nathan told him. "This spirit is not like Lillian. She's a bit more malevolent, and I think it's best you don't speak with Tatiana about this, at least not for now."

"But it's _her_ sister," Lucas protested. "She might be able to help."

"What the captain is say is that we should let Dr. Westphalen decide if she wants to speak with Tatiana or anyone else about it, but for now, let's just keep it between us," Katie broke in.

"That's exactly what I am saying," Nathan answered. "Thank you, Commander."

Lucas nodded with understanding. "Alright, I get it."

A short time later, Dr. Levin walked downstairs. "How is she?" Nathan asked him worriedly.

Dr. Levin shook his head. "She's exhausted, though I can't say why. It's possible she may have picked up a virus; I'll be sure to keep an eye on her to be sure it's nothing serious."

Nathan nodded his head; he then proceeded to explain to Dr. Levin what he had just told the others.

"Well, that might explain some of her exhaustion," Levin noted. "Either way, I agree; she shouldn't be left alone."

So, when it came time for dinner, Nathan opted to stay behind while the others went out. He had Lucas bring some takeout entrees back for him and Kristin. Nathan brought the takeout containers upstairs and knocked on the door.

"Come in," he heard Kristin say quietly.

"Hey," Nathan said as he opened the door. "I had Lucas pick you up something to eat." He walked over to the side of the bed.

"That was very nice of you," she answered, "but I'm not very hungry."

"Aw, come on," Nathan said. "You have to be eat something."

"Nathan, please," Kristin pleaded. "I just want to sleep."

Nathan nodded dejectedly. He picked up the takeout containers and left the room, closing the door behind him. He knew Kristin was hiding something, that she'd obviously still been seeing Marielle. But, she refused to speak to him or anyone else. He was at a loss of what to do, but he knew he had to contact Ford and get them back to the _seaQuest_...before they lost Kristin forever.


	11. Dead Wrong

**Chapter 11**

Kristin felt guilty for turning Nathan away; she _truly_ did. But, she just couldn't talk to him at the moment, or anyone else for that matter. She was so tired. And, for the first time, she began to wish she _would_ see Marielle again, only because of the previous dream, for it had been so different from the others. In that dream, she didn't feel as frightened. Of course, she _initially_ did; however, it seemed as though Marielle was _not_ trying to harm her, but rather, trying to show her something. But, she'd been rudely interrupted when Nathan and Lucas roused her out of her sleep so that she didn't get the chance to find out the significance of the bones in the grave.

She felt a bit silly, but she wanted to let Marielle know she was ready to listen. She whispered, "I'm ready for you to show me." She listened for a few moments and peered across the dark room to see any sign of Marielle, but saw nothing. She laid back down and made a silent vow that if Marielle came to her again, that she would be sure to listen to what she was trying to tell her.

Meanwhile, Nathan called Commander Ford.

"Uh, Commander, any idea when you'll be able to come back this way?" Nathan asked.

"Sir, we can actually be back there by tomorrow evening. Is that alright?"

"That will be just fine," Nathan said with a smile, pleased that things would be back to normal soon. "It's been a nice little getaway, but we're eager to return to our normal lives."

"I understand, Sir. See you soon." With that, he cut the link.

Nathan felt he could finally breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that help was on the way. He too retired for the evening, as did the rest of the housemates.

Back in her room, Kristin was fighting to stay awake, hoping to see a glimpse of Marielle. She thought if she could see her while awake, she could actually speak with her. Then, a thought came to her. _Could_ Marielle speak? She remembered from her experience on _The George_that Captain Wideman spoke to her, and although she couldn't remember, Lillian obviously spoke as well, according to what the others told her. So, _why_ hadn't Marielle spoken to her? As these thoughts ran through her mind, Kristin could no longer fight her tiredness, and she soon fell asleep; naturally, she was soon dreaming.

_Bum, bum, bum, bum. Kristin heard drums, finding herself near the temple she'd seen in her previous dream. She looked around for Marielle, but didn't see her. Bum, bum, bum, bum. The drums were constant, beckoning to her. She began walking towards the temple. As before, there were two men playing the drums. Bum, bum, bum, bum. And, four women were dancing around chanting; she wished she could understand what they were saying. _

_This time, however, there was a fifth woman lying on the floor. Kristin didn't remember seeing her in the previous dream; but perhaps she just didn't notice her before. Kristin tried to remain hidden in the shadows, however, for she wasn't sure what the intentions of those in the temple were. Bum, bum, bum, bum. The women began chanting and dancing around the woman on the floor. Suddenly, the woman on the floor must have sensed Kristin's eyes on her because she turned and looked at her with piercing blue eyes._

_Kristin was shocked. And what's more, her mouth was covered with a silver strip of duct tape. And it suddenly dawned on her that Marielle had no control over what had happened to her. Perhaps her family's impression of her was dead wrong. Perhaps Marielle did not practice black magic after all. But, Kristin didn't have much time to contemplate it because one of the women, the one who appeared to be in charge of the ritual, noticed the direction in which Marielle's eyes and turned. And, she began to turn her head towards Kristin as well. Kristin cringed as she waited to see who it was. Bum, bum, bum, bum._

"Kristin?" she heard a voice say. "Wake up; you were calling in your sleep. You're having a nightmare. Kristin, wake up." Gentle hands shook her awake.

"Nathan?" Kristin said groggily as her eyes tried to focus in the dim light.

"Yes, it's me," Nathan said. "That must have been some dream," he commented. "Are you OK?"

"Y-yes," Kristin answered. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be; it's not your fault. You're still dreaming about her, aren't you?"

"Yes," Kristin answered quietly, prepared for an interrogation by the 'mother hen'.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Nathan asked hopefully.

"Not really."

Nathan was somewhat disappointed but didn't push her either, and Kristin was grateful for this. "Well, you'll be glad to know we'll be going home soon. I spoke with Commander Ford after you went to sleep, and he says that the _seaQuest_ will be back in the area by," he peered through the dim light at the clock on the wall, "well, later today," Nathan said.

"What time _is_ it?" Kristin asked.

"Almost five AM. Are you hungry?" He switched on the lamp next to the bedside table.

"A little," Kristin admitted. But the truth was, she didn't know if she had the energy to walk down the stairs. She had essentially slept for over twelve hours, but she felt like she hadn't slept in twelve _days_. But she didn't have to tell Nathan this after all.

"How about some scrambled eggs and toast?" he asked her. "I can cook that up in about ten minutes."

"You mean we have food _here_?" Kristin asked.

Nathan laughed lightly. "Yes, while you were playing Sleeping Beauty, we did pick up a few essentials so we didn't have to eat out all the time." He was trying to make the conversation light.

"Well, let me get up and-"

"No, no," Nathan insisted. "I mean, if you feel you can, fine. But, you can just stay in bed if you'd like. I'll bring it up to you, and we can have a private breakfast up here if that's alright."

Kristin breathed a sigh of relief for the fact she wouldn't have to make her way downstairs, seeing it as a huge challenge at the moment. "That would be wonderful," she said with a smile.

Nathan said, "I'll be back shortly, then." And, with that he left the room. He _did_ notice how pale Kristin looked. The poor thing had dark circles under her eyes, making her look absolutely exhausted. Even when she'd been up half the night with patients on the _seaQuest_, she _never _looked like that. He did remember what Brigitte had said-_spirit sickness_. The spirit will drain her energy, drain the life out of her. He began to wonder if that was happening. But, he believed everything would be alright soon enough. They would be back on the seaQuest in around twelve hours, he estimated, give or take. He shook these negative thoughts for the time being and began making some breakfast.

Meanwhile, Kristin sighed, trying to make sense of her dream. She was somewhat relieved that Nathan had woken her up because she had been afraid as to who the unknown woman was. But, at the same time, she knew she was meant to see who the woman was, for she was obviously responsible for Marielle's death. But, hadn't Brigitte said it was a _man_ in jail for Marielle's death? Obviously, Marielle was trying to show Kristin what really happened, something she'd tried to show others before. But, no one ever took the time to listen. In addition to that, Kristin was now worried that whoever truly _was_ responsible for Marielle's death may be a bit closer to them than may be comfortable.


	12. Lucas is in Trouble

**A/N: I am elated that so many people are reading this, but it is a little discouraging that not too many are reviewing. While I completely respect those who like to read and not leave a comment, it is difficult for me to determine whether my readers are enjoying the direction I've taken. So, please kindly take the time to remember to review if you can; it also helps boost my confidence. Contrary to what you may think, I am still unsure of my work sometimes. Thank you; it is greatly appreciated.**

**Chapter 12**

A short time later, Nathan returned with a tray loaded with two plates of eggs and toast and two cups of coffee.

"Oh, it smells wonderful," Kristin exclaimed as Nathan set the tray down in front of her. Then, he grabbed one plate and a cup of coffee and sat down in the chair next to her bed. "Thank you so much, Nathan."

"Oh, you're very welcome."

They sat in silence for a moment while they ate. Kristin had been thinking about Marielle and her dream, and she really hadn't much of a choice. She needed to run her thoughts by someone rational. And, Nathan was her confidante. "She's trying to show me something."

"What?" Nathan asked, slightly confused.

"Marielle," Kristin said. "I think she's trying to show me something. I-I don't think she's trying to hurt me."

Nathan looked at her doubtfully. "If that's the case, then why don't you have any energy?"

Kristin countered, "Well, I was the same way on _The George_, and Lillian wasn't malicious."

Nathan thought for a moment. After the experience on The George, Kristin _had_ been tired afterwards, but then, admittedly, he hadn't concerned himself with it very much. She had recovered quickly, or she hid her exhaustion well at the time. Kristin was a strong woman; he never had to worry about her much. But, now it seemed as though she was wasting away in front of his eyes, and it was frightening. "I guess," he said. "What do you think she's trying to show you, then?"

"I think Marielle was murdered."

"Well, that's why Brigitte said that the rest of the black magic sect was in jail," Nathan said. "Brigitte said she was murdered."

"No, you don't understand," Kristin said. "Brigitte said that Marielle was practicing black magic herself, but I don't think she was. And, I think those in jail are innocent."

"And your basing all that on a few dreams?" Nathan scoffed.

"I-I know it sounds a little crazy; that's why I was reluctant to tell you."

Nathan sighed. "I'm sorry, but it does sound a little far fetched. And, how do you plan to prove it?"

"I don't; I mean, we're going home later," Kristin explained. "I suppose Marielle will just find someone else to-"

"What if she doesn't?"

"What?"

"What if Marielle _doesn't_ leave you alone?" Nathan asked, worriedly. "I mean, that protection ritual was supposed to-"

"Well, I don't think I need protection from Marielle," Kristin said, standing up, but this made her head spin. Kristin tried to pretend it wasn't happening, but Nathan noticed her falter.

He immediately was at her side. "You alright?" he asked. "Maybe you should lie down?"

Kristin sighed. "I'm sick of lying about," she said, but Nathan helped lie down anyway.

Nathan looked at the clock. It wasn't yet six. "I can have Dr. Levin come to look at you when he is up and about. Maybe you're coming down with something?" he said hopefully.

Kristin nodded. "I certainly _feel_ like it."

Nathan began gathering the plates and cups and putting them back on the tray to take down to the kitchen. "Do you want me to let you rest?"

"Maybe if I can get some more sleep, I'll feel better," she said.

Nathan nodded. "Maybe. Just let me know if you need anything."

"I will," she said. "Are you going back to bed, too?"

Nathan shook his head. "No, I think I'll just do up these dishes and relax a bit before Lucas wakes up. He wants to go spend the day with Tatiana, so I'm sure he'll be up early. I want to see him before he goes."

"I think he's going to be the only one who's sorry we're leaving," Kristin said. "Tell him I said to have a good time, if I'm not awake."

"Well, I know he misses Darwin; he'll be fine. And, I will." He started walking towards the door. "Sleep well," he said.

"I'll try. Thank you." And with that, Nathan shut the door behind him.

Kristin sighed as she closed her eyes. She was looking forward to it being over, but she knew that if she didn't figure out what happened to Marielle, she would never be able to get rid of her. "Just show me what happened," Kristin whispered as she turned over and tried to sleep. And soon, she drifted off.

_Again, Kristin found herself in the same forest she'd seen in her previous dreams. _

_"OK, Marielle, show me what happened," Kristin said, turning around to see if she could see her. When she didn't see her, she began walking through the forest. She came to a clearing, and she saw a woman sitting on a large rock. Kristin noticed she appeared to be deep in thought or possibly prayer, for her head was bowed down._

_Kristin carefully approached her. _

_"Excuse me," she said. But, the woman never looked up, never even acknowledged Kristin's presence. Kristin tried once again. _

_"Excuse me," she said a bit louder, placing a hand on her shoulder. But, to Kristin's shock, the woman fell over limp. Kristin cried out softly when she realized the woman was dead. _

_She turned to run, but the way was blocked by Marielle. _

_"Did you know her?" Kristin asked. Marielle nodded. _

_"She was one of their victims as well?" Kristin asked. Marielle nodded once again. _

_"Who did this?" Marielle took Kristin's hand and led her to the temple once again._

_Bum, bum, bum, bum. Kristin heard the drums once again. She wanted to ask what exactly the ritual was for, but when she turned to ask Marielle, she was gone. Kristin walked closer to the temple so that she could see. Once again, she saw the two drummers. Bum, bum, bum, bum. The drums were constant and steady. The four women were dancing and chanting, and poor Marielle was lying on the floor, her mouth taped, her hands bound. _

_Then, the women stopped and began talking. Although Kristin couldn't understand what they were saying, it was clear they were arguing about something. Then, one of the women grabbed a bottle from the alter. She opened it and threw it's contents all over the other woman she was yelling at. Kristin had no idea what could be in that bottle, but whatever it was smelled horribly putrid._

_The woman began screaming, as though she was in excruciating pain. Then, she fell back, as though she'd been struck. But, she didn't make any more sounds; Kristin covered her mouth when she realized the woman was dead. And, she knew who she was-the woman she'd seen in the forest._

_Then, the woman who had appeared to be in charge loomed over Marielle while the others helped restrain her. Suddenly the woman in charge lifted turned her head just right where Kristin suddenly recongnized her. It was Tatiana-Marielle's own sister!_

_She pulled the tape off Marielle's mouth and say, "Now you must pay." Then, she took a knife from the alter and proceeded to cut out Marielle's tongue. _

_Kristin looked away as Marielle screamed in pain. "Oh my God," Kristin said quietly, but apparently, not quietly enough._

_"Someone's out there," she heard a voice say. _

_Kristin turned and saw Tatiana coming towards her. Kristin turned to run, but she felt a hand on her shoulder, restraining her. "No!" Kristin screamed._

"Kristin?" Katie Hitcock had her hands on Kristin's shoulders. "Kristin, you're dreaming."

Kristin woke up with a start, sitting straight up.

"Are you alright?" Katie asked. "We heard you screaming."

"I-I'm sorry," Kristin said. Then a thought came to her. "Where's Lucas?"

"Oh, he said something about going to see Tatiana. She wanted to introduce him to her friends."

"Oh no," Kristin breathed.

"What?" Katie asked.

"Um, when did he leave?"

"About an hour and a half ago," Katie said. "Why?"

"Because I think he's in trouble. Where's Nathan?"

"Downstairs. What do you mean 'in trouble'?"

Kristin jumped up out of bed. Her head felt like it was going to float away, but she had to ignore it. She grabbed her robe and slipped it on.

"Doc?" Katie said.

"I'm sorry," Kristin said apologettically, "But I have to talk to Nathan. Follow me, and I'll fill you in."


	13. The Protector

Chapter 13

Kristin ran down the stairs. "Nathan!" she called. Katie was on her heels.

Nathan came out of the kitchen into the living area. "Kristin? What's going on? Are you alright?" He noticed she still didn't look very well.

"Nathan, it's Lucas. I think something's wrong."

Nathan chuckled lightly and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Kristin, Lucas is fine. Why would you think there's something wrong."

"Well, I-I had a dream," she began. She realized how ridiculous it sounded, but she knew the real potential danger waiting for Lucas. She just had to convince everyone else. Katie and Nathan exchanged worried glances, and Nathan motioned for her to leave to give him and Kristin some privacy.

Nathan sighed, bringing Kristin to the couch. He placed his arm around her shoulders and said, "It was just a dream. I know it's difficult, but you need to realized what's reality and what isn't."

"Stop patronizing me," she said. "Nathan, I know it's hard to believe, but I am telling you that Marielle showed me that-"

"Showed you? In your dream? Kristin, it's obvious you need some rest."

"Nathan, please listen to me," Kristin pleaded. She felt like crying, but held the tears back.

When Nathan looked at her, he couldn't say no to that look in her eyes. She truly believed there was something wrong, and maybe there was. But, what kind of trouble could Lucas be in? "Alright."

Kristin relaxed a bit now that Nathan seemed to want to listen. "It's Tatiana. I think her intentions aren't what they seem."

"That sweet girl," Nathan laughed. But, when Kristin shot him a look, he stopped laughing.

"You said you would listen to me," she said. "Marielle told me that she was responsible for her death."

"I don't even know where they were going," Nathan said.

"Brigitte would know," Kristin said. "In my dream, I keep seeing a forest, a cemetery, and a temple. It's not the temple behind Brigitte's house; the temple is somewhere near the forest and the cemetery."

"Are you coming with me?" Nathan asked.

Kristin nodded. "Just give me time to get dressed," she said as she stood up. But, Nathan noticed how she faltered.

"You still don't feel well?" he asked. "You should probably stay here."

"No," Kristin said. "I need to help Lucas." She started up the stairs but had to stop because the room was spinning so much.

"Damn it, Kristin," Nathan muttered under his breath as he went over to her. "You won't be any help to Lucas this way. The others are all here. I'll be sure that Joshua keeps an eye on you. You just rest, and I'll see you when we get back. I'll make sure Lucas is alright. Soon we'll all be back on _seaQuest_, and everything will be fine."

Kristin rested her head on Nathan's shoulder and began sobbing. She hadn't wanted to, but it was all getting too much for her. And now, she couldn't even help save Lucas, whom she loved like a son.

Nathan instinctively wrapped his arms around her and let her cry. "Ssshh," he soothed. "It's going to be alright." A few moments later, her tears stopped. "Better now?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"You don't have to apologize. Are you going to sit on the stairs all day?" he quipped. He was trying to lift her mood.

"Well, I haven't gotten the energy to get up yet," she admitted.

"You feel that bad, huh?" Nathan asked, looking at her with a scrutinizing eye. She looked even worse than she had earlier that morning. He picked her up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom and helped her into bed. "I'll have Joshua come up and examine you."

"Alright," she said. "But don't linger here. I'll be fine. You need to get to Lucas."

Nathan nodded. "I will." With that he stopped to talk to Joshua and told him Kristin was feeling poorly. Then, he set off to Brigitte's house.

Meanwhile, Lucas and Tatiana were on their way to meet her friends. She was taking him on a long hike on a trail through the forest just off the main road.

"Where are we going again?" Lucas asked.

"To meet some of my friends," she told him. "We want to show you what we do for fun."

"Walking until your legs feel like they're going to fall off is fun?" Lucas joked.

Tatiana laughed. "If you were tired, why didn't you say something? We can rest for a bit."

"That would be great," Lucas admitted.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so used to walking this that I don't even think about it."

"Well, I'm not used to having to walk so far to get where I want to go," Lucas said.

They sat in silence for a short time, and then Lucas said, "I think I've rested enough."

"Good; we don't have too far to go now," Tatiana said.

"Are you sure your friends will like me?" Lucas asked.

Tatiana stopped and turned to him, giving him a sweet smile. "I'm sure they'll love you," she said.

Nathan arrived at Brigitte's house shortly after speaking with Joshua. He knocked on the door.

"Captain Bridger! What are you doing here?" Brigitte said as she opened the door.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I need to know where Lucas and Tatiana were headed."

"Of course; come in." Then, a thought came to her. "I told you not to leave the doctor alone."

"What? Oh, you mean Kristin. She's not alone; the others are with her."

"No," Brigitte answered. "I meant you _specifically_."

"What?" Nathan was confused.

Brigitte sighed. "Of course, I didn't explain it well. You are a protector. We believe certain people perform certain roles, no matter how many times he or she has been reincarnated. For example, the doctor...Kristin as you call her. Well, she's a healer; she always has been, even in her past lives. She has a gift-to heal. You on the other hand have a need to protect and serve. You were probably a warrior in a past life, as you are in this. But you have always felt the need to protect those close to you, and you always will."

"OK," Nathan said, "but what does that mean for Kristin. If I'm not there to protect her..."

"She's vulnerable. Anything can harm her."

"She told me she believes Marielle isn't harmful, that she is just trying to get Kristin to see what truly happened. Kristin told me she's had several dreams about it, and she always sees the same things-a forest, a cemetery, and a temple. She told me that in her dreams, Tatiana was the one who killed Marielle."

Brigitte did not look as surprised as Nathan expected. "I'd suspected; there were rumors. But, Tatiana insisted the rumors were not true; and there was no evidence to support it."

"And, Kristin believes Lucas is in danger. Do you think it so?" Nathan asked.

Brigitte sighed. "I'm not sure, but it's possible. I swear I don't even know my niece anymore. Ever since Marielle's death and that of my husband, it's been difficult; Tatiana and I have grown apart some even though I've tried in vain not to allow it. I can tell you the forest and the cemetery, but I don't know of a temple. However, hopefully, it's nearby. The forest is Grand Bois, and it is just off the main road. But it is a hike; to the west is the Jacmel cemetery."

"Thank you very much," Nathan said. He eased towards the door when Brigitte stopped him.

"Captain, you need to be near Kristin as well; you _are _the protector."

"What should I do?" Nathan asked. "I can't be in two places at once."

"I understand that," Brigitte answered. "I would go back to the guesthouse if I were you and be sure she was with me."

"That was the plan, but she's been really sick."

"Do what you must, but, mark my words. If you aren't with her, something horrible will happen, if it hasn't already."

Nathan nodded, unsure of what to make of Brigitte's words, and walked out the door. He walked back to the guesthouse, hoping he was not losing too much time getting to Lucas. Was Brigitte right? Could Kristin really be in trouble as well?

With those thoughts, he decided to run. A short moment later, he arrived at the guesthouse. But, when he walked in the door, he could immediately sense something was amiss. Chief Crocker and Commander Hitchcock were sitting in the living area, but Crocker looked worried and Hitchcock was near tears.

"Is Kristin alright?" Nathan asked worriedly. He searched their faces for the answer, but Katie's chin quivered as she looked away and Crocker said, "Cap, I think you ought to sit down."

But Nathan walked past them and started up the stairs. Crocker stood to block his way. "Sir, you can't go up there right now."

"What the hell happened?" Nathan asked.

"Cap, Dr. Levin is with her right now."

"Just tell me what's going on!"

Dr. Levin heard the commotion and came to the top of the stairs. "It's OK, Chief. I think he should see this."

Crocker stepped aside to let Nathan pass. Nathan climbed the stairs and followed Levin to Kristin's room. He stopped at Kristin's door and turned to Nathan. "She's had a seizure."

"A seizure?" Nathan said in shock. "How the hell did that happen? She doesn't have a history of them, does she?"

Levin shook his head. "No, but one doesn't have to have a history of them to have one. There could be many reasons for it. It only just happened, and I believe she's in stable condition now, but I think it's best that we get her to a hospital."

Nathan sighed. This is what Brigitte had meant. "Can I see her?"

Levin nodded. "For a few minutes, but let me know immediately if anything changes."

Nathan walked in the room and saw Kristin lying on the bed. She looked so small and frail that his heart sank. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. And, to his utter surprise, Kristin's eyes fluttered open.

"Oh, I knew you would come," she said.

"Kristin?" Nathan said in shock.

She sat up and shook her head. "No, it's Marielle."


	14. Don't Let Her Hurt Me

**Chapter 14**

"Uh, Doctor?" Nathan called to Levin. "I think you need to see this."

Levin obediently obliged, and he was shocked when he saw Kristin sitting up on the bed. "That's amazing," he muttered. "Are you alright, Doctor?" he asked.

The woman on the bed was obviously confused. "I'm sorry, Sir, but I'm not a doctor."

Levin exchanged glances with Nathan. "I think I need to fill you in," Nathan said. With that, the two men walked over to the other side of the room out just out of earshot of Kristin/Marielle. "It appears it isn't Kristin," Nathan explained. "She says she's Marielle."

Levin nodded with understanding. "She's having an encounter." Since it was something he'd seen before, he wasn't surprised. "Could you step out of the room for a bit, Captain. I'd like to check her vitals."

"Of course," Nathan said, stepping out of the room. He sighed heavily. He had to find Lucas, but he also needed to be sure Kristin was safe and well. He told himself he would have to wait only until he heard Levin's report, and then he would _have _to leave.

A few moments later, Levin came out of the room. Nathan looked at him worriedly. "She's fine," Levin said. "Her heart rate's slightly under normal and so is her temperature, but other than that, she's fine."

"But she's not Kristin," Nathan said.

Levin shook his head. "At the moment, no. She did tell me she believes that Lucas is in trouble."

"She said that?" Nathan asked.

"Well, she called him 'the boy', but I knew what she meant. She said she wants to speak with you."

Nathan nodded and walked past Levin back into the room. Even though he'd seen Kristin in the midst of a posession once before, he wasn't sure what to expect.

"Uh, Marielle," he said, the name sounding foreign and wrong coming from his lips.

Kristin/Marielle looked at him and placed a finger to her lips. "Sshh," she whispered, taking his hand in hers and pulling him behind a chair. "We have to hide," she said.

"What are we hiding from?" Nathan asked.

"Sshh," she persisted. "They'll hear us."

"Sorry," Nathan whispered, feeling a little foolish. "Who are we hiding from?"

Kristin/Marielle asked, "Do you hear the drums? She's coming. Don't let her hurt me...please?" She squeezed his hand tightly as if someone was going to drag her away.

"I won't let anyone hurt you," Nathan whispered. "Why would anyone try to hurt you?"

"Everyone thinks that_ I'm _the bad one, but they're wrong. I didn't know she was in love with Baptiste when I started dating him, and I never meant to hurt her. But we're in love...and now she knows our secret, and she wants to hurt me for it." She grabbed placed Nathan's hand on her abdomen. "Do you feel that? That's our baby. _That's_ the secret. Baptiste and I are so happy, but _she's_ not. I'm so afraid."

Nathan placed his hand on hers, and he could feel she was trembling. "I promise I'll do what I can to help you, but the doctor said you might be able to help me?"

Kristin/Marielle nodded. "You mean the boy? She's going to hurt him, too, I think. She preys on innocent souls."

"Can you tell me where he is?" Nathan asked desperately.

"I can do better than that; I can show you, but you have to promise me you'll keep me safe."

"My friends will come along as well," Nathan told her. "We'll all make sure you're safe."

Kristin/Marielle nodded. "We shouldn't waste anymore time. The drums are getting louder."

Meanwhile, Lucas and Tatiana had finally come to the clearing of the forest and were passing through the cemetery.

"This is kind of creepy," Lucas commented.

Tatiana laughed. "We see death differently. It's nothing to be feared. It's to be embraced."

"I don't mean any disrespect," Lucas said, "but I _do_ find it frightening."

Tatiana stopped and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's alright," she said. "You don't have to apologize. Hopefully, my friends and I will help you feel at ease. We want to show you what we're all about here."

Lucas relaxed a bit. "Well, I am excited about that. I wish you'd tell me where we're going though."

"It's a surprise," Tatiana teased. "Now, come on; they're waiting. We're nearly there."

"That's what you said an hour ago."

Tatiana laughed and shook her head as she turned to continue walking with Lucas in tow.

In the meantime, Nathan, Levin, Crocker, and Hitchcock all followed Kristin/Marielle. She stopped in front of Brigitte's house.

"Why are we stopping here?" Nathan asked.

"I thought my aunt could be of some help," she said as she opened the door. Nathan followed her while the others waited outside. "Aunt Brigitte?" she called. "It's Marielle."

Brigitte came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. "Captain, Doctor. How nice to see you again."

"No, Aunt Brigitte," Kristin/Marielle said. "It's me. Don't you recognize me? It's Marielle."

"Marielle? What happened to you?"

"I should have told you sooner, but Baptiste and I...well, we're going to have a baby," Kristin/Marielle said with elation. "I-I'm sorry I kept it from you; I know you and everyone else thinks horrible things about me, but I need you to know you're wrong. It's Tatiana you need to be worried about."

"You mean she is the one dabbling in black magic?" Brigitte asked.

Kristin/Marielle nodded. "Yes, Aunty. She's been making it look like it was me to punish me. She was secretly in love with Baptiste. I swear to you I didn't know. Baptiste never returned the love, and she thinks I need to be punished. I fear she'll do something rash. And, now, she's with this man's friend. You need to help us."

Brigitte nodded. "Let's go."

Brigitte followed them outside. Nathan turned to her as Kristin/Marielle and the others walked ahead. "I'm sorry if this is difficult for you.

Brigitte shook her head. "No, Captain, _I'm_ sorry. Those are the last words I heard Marielle say to me...that she was with child and that she feared she was in danger. I never believed that she was, and I refused to believe her. Tatiana was only fourteen at the time. To think that a child that young could do that. Well, if only I'd listened, I'd still have my niece and perhaps your friend wouldn't be in the danger he's in."

"You can't blame yourself," Nathan said. "None of this is your fault."

Brigitte nodded, and the pair hurried to catch up with the others.

Tatiana and Lucas finally reached the temple. "This is where you and your friends meet for _fun_?" Lucas asked, a little surprised.

"We do other things as well," she said. "but this is a special day, and I wanted you to be a part of it. Come on."

Lucas followed Tatiana into the temple. A delicious smell filled the air. "My friends have prepared a meal; we'll eat before the ceremony," Tatiana explained.

"Ceremony?" Lucas asked. "What is the ceremony for?"

"It's a surprise."

"Will I like the surprise?" Lucas asked.

Tatiana laughed. "It's to die for."

After Tatiana introduced him to her friends, they all sat down and ate. The food smelled so good; naturally Lucas expected it to taste good as well. However, there was a strange taste to it, but he didn't want to be rude. He ate what was on his plate to be polite. But, soon afterwards, he began to feel woozy."

Tatiana noticed Lucas' face. "Is something wrong?" she asked, knowing full well what was going on.

"I-I'm just not feeling too well," Lucas stammered.

"Why don't you lie down for a bit?" Tatiana offered.

As Lucas slowly slipped out of consciousness, he came to the sudden realization that he'd been drugged. But, unfortunately, he could do nothing about it as darkness slowly enveloped him.


	15. There's No Saving Me

**Chapter 15**

Lucas groaned softly as he began to become aware of reality. And the reality was that he found his hands were bound behind his back, and he had a strip of duct tape over his mouth. He was lying on the floor of the temple within a circle of candles. He could hear drums, constant, rhythmic drums, much like the ones he had heard at the retirer d'en bas d'leau. In the corner of the temple near the altar were two of Tatiana's friends, the only men in the group, playing the drums.

He scanned the temple for Tatiana and the others, but he saw no one. The drums seemed to get louder as he heard chanting. He looked in the direction of the sound, and he saw the rest of the group led by Tatiana. They were chanting in a line, making a procession from the back of the altar. Each woman held a candle as they made their way to the altar. Then, as they came to the altar, Tatiana stood in front of it with her back turned to Lucas as the other four women stood accordingly, two on either side of her. Tatiana took something off the altar and held it high above her head, chanting something in creole which Lucas did not understand.

Then, Tatiana turned, and Lucas could clearly see what she was holding-a golden dagger with a jewel-encrusted handle which had skulls on it. Lucas swallowed hard as Tatiana looked at him.

"We're glad you're awake," she said. "You're just in time. You see," she carefully stepped through the candles to enter the circle, as she bent to whisper in his ear, "you're our guest of honor." She rubbed the blade of the dagger across his cheek, but she did not cut him.

Still, the gesture made Lucas squirm as he tried to scream, but the sounds were muffled by the tape.

"Oh, no, no," Tatiana said, "you must save your energy, Dear. There will be time enough for screaming, but not yet. You see, we are going to awaken your soul. Just sit back and enjoy." With that, she gave Lucas a sweet yet disturbing smile and stepped out of the circle to take her place in front of the altar once again. She began to chant again while the others joined in, the sound of the drums never ceasing.

Meanwhile, everyone followed Kristin/Marielle through the forest. Everyone was hot and tired. Nathan walked alongside of her and asked, "Do you think we could stop and rest for a few moments?"

"For a few moments," Kristin/Marielle answered. "But, I assure you, Sir, we cannot waste much time."

Nathan nodded. It was odd to have Kristin call him 'Sir', but then, it wasn't really Kristin. It was merely the shell of the woman he knew, and he missed her. And, he definitely didn't want to take any chances with Lucas' life, but it was a long hike that no one was prepared for. "I know," Nathan said quietly.

They stopped at a small clearing with some large rocks. Hitchcock and Crocker gratefully sat down, both feeling tired. Nathan, Brigitte and Crocker stopped walking but stood, whispering to each other.

"Joshua, what do you make of this?" Nathan asked him. "With Lillian, she seemed to realize she was in limbo. But," he motioned towards Kristin, "_she_ doesn't seem to realize it."

Joshua nodded. "There are many theories on it, and, sometimes, it seems the dead don't know they're dead. I think it's best we go along with it."

Brigitte nodded, but said nothing.

Nathan, however, had another thought. "But, when all is said and done, what about Kristin? If Marielle doesn't realize she's deceased-"

"Don't worry, Captain," Brigitte interrupted. "We'll help her cross over."

Levin nodded. "In my paranormal research, spirits become bound to the earth because there is some sort of unfinished business. Hopefully, we'll help her accomplish that, and everything will go back as it was."

Kristin/Marielle looked annoyed. "Haven't we rested enough? We really ought to get going." She began walking and the others followed once again. After a short time, however, she stopped. Since her back was turned, the others weren't quite sure what was going on. After a few moments, however, she made sounds that were clear she was crying.

Nathan approached her gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Kri-Marielle? Are you alright?"

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "This is where it happened," she said, pointing to a path between the trees.

"_What_ happened?" Nathan asked.

Nathan was met with a few more moments of silent crying, but then, she quickly recovered. "We have to keep going," she said. "The drums are getting louder; we haven't much time." And, with that, she started walking once again.

Nathan sighed and followed with the others in tow.

Back at the temple, the ritual was well in progress, and Lucas found himself unsure of what to do. He was unaware that help was on the way; even if he had a way to let the Captain and the others know he _was _in danger, it seemed as though it was too late. But he wasn't one to sit back and wait for his fate. While the drumming and chanting continued, he expertly fumbled with his restraints.

He was able to go unnoticed for the time since the others seemed more concerned with whatever Tatiana was doing at the altar. Unfortunately, since her back was turned to him, he could not see. And, he didn't know if he really _wanted _to see either. Lucas' heart jumped in his throat when she turned to him, holding something in her hand.

But, he was able to breathe a sigh of relief when he realized it was simply a bowl of some pungent-smelling herbs that she had lit. She stepped into the circle and swirled the smoke around Lucas. "This is to relax you," she said.

Lucas tried to speak, forgetting the tape for a moment. Tatiana handed the bowl off to one of the other women and came back to him. "I'll pull the tape off as long as you promise _not_ to scream; if you do, you will suffer consequences."

Lucas nodded. He let out a soft cry as Tatiana pulled the tape off; she wasn't very gentle, and it stung.

"Better?" she asked.

"Yeah," Lucas said. "What exactly are you going to do to me?"

Tatiana laughed quietly. "Oh, Lucas, this is an honor, really. In fact, you should be thanking me. You see, we need a volunteer, one who is pure of heart. Certainly, that's _not_ me nor any of them," she said with a motion towards her friends with her head. "But you, you _are_ pure of heart, so innocent and genuine. You are just the type of person the spirits want."

"Want?" Lucas asked nervously.

"Of course," Marielle said. "and you will see what an honor it is to be sacrificed to them. And, in turn, they will smile upon me for it."

"No," Lucas pleaded.

But, Marielle, didn't listen as she took her place at the altar once again. She made a gesture with her right hand towards the drummers, and they began to play louder as she began chanting once again. The other women joined her in doing so, and Tatiana picked up the dagger once again. She turned to Lucas and began walking towards him.

"Don't worry, Lucas," she said over the drums and the chanting, "it will all be over soon."

The group had finally come to the cemetery. Once again, however, they found themselves at a stand still as Kristin/Marielle stopped in her tracks.

"Marielle?" Brigitte said.

"I-I'm sorry," Kristin/Marielle said. "I-I just need to rest for a moment." But, her voice quivered as she was nearly in tears once again. She walked to a grown-over area of the cemetery and sat down on a bench near it.

The others exchanged glances, but welcomed the rest as they were tired. Still, they needed to get to Lucas. Nathan decided to approach her so that they could once again continue on their quest.

"Marielle?" Nathan said gently as he placed a hand on her trembling shoulder. "What's the matter?"

She turned to him with tears in her eyes. "I-I don't think I can go on."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm bound to this place. I can't leave. If I leave, she'll hurt me and my baby."

"We won't let that happen," Nathan said. "We'll save Lucas and you and everything will be fine. If you're tired, we can rest for a bit, but we don't have much time. You said it yourself."

Kristin/Marielle nodded. "I'll help you save the boy, but there's no saving me." She wiped her eyes and stood up. "Let's go."


	16. A Dagger in the Heart

**A/N: I would like to mention that the evils of Tatiana are not typical of black magic voodoo. Her actions and desires are purely fictional and do not portray those of true black magic voodoo practitioners. Thank you.**

**Chapter 16**

Nathan wasn't quite sure what Kristin/Marielle had meant, but then again, he hadn't time to ponder it either. He made a mental note to ask her about it later after Lucas was safe. He hurried to catch up with the rest of the group, and as they walked through the cemetery, Nathan could finally hear the drums Kristin/Marielle kept talking about.

"They're ritual drums," Brigitte explained to the group.

Kristin/Marielle nodded knowingly. "But they _aren't_ a good sign, Aunty. _These_ drums mean death." Nathan stood there for a moment in shock. She turned to him, "Come on; we've only about a half mile now."

Nathan obliged, but his worry for Lucas' well-being increased with every step.

Soon, however, they came to a small, cabin-like building just off the main path. The loud sound of drumming and chanting could be heard clearly. Nathan started toward the door when Kristin/Marielle said, "Not yet."

"Excuse me? You said that the drums mean death, and now we're just going to wait out here? I don't think so," Nathan said, placing his hand on the door handle to open the door.

Kristin/Marielle placed a firm hand on his to stop him. "Please just listen to me. If we go barging in, your friend could be killed instantly. Look, as long as we can hear drumming and chanting, that means the ritual is still in progress. That's a _good_ sign. But, if we go barging in, she'll make sure the ritual is carried out, meaning your friend's demise. We need to come up with a plan."

Nathan removed his hand from the door handle. "Alright," he said. "So, what _can_ we do?"

Kristin/Marielle thought for a moment. "I'll go in, and the rest of you can wait here."

Nathan shook his head. "You can't do this by yourself."

"Well, it's easier for one person to enter undetected."

"What if we split into two groups?" Nathan suggested.

"That could work, as long as we enter in from the back of the temple. The others wait outside until one of us gives the OK to enter," Kristin/Marielle said. "But you need to follow my lead."

"Agreed," Nathan said. "So, who would you like to go with you?"

"Well, Aunt Brigitte, you _need _to see this," Kristin/Marielle said. Then, she looked every other person there up and down, trying to decide. "Well, I suppose _you_ ought to go so you can help the boy. He's probably restrained," she said to Nathan.

Nathan nodded.

So, Levin, Crocker, and Hitchcock stayed near the front door while the others went around to the back door.

Kristin/Marielle turned to Nathan just before she opened the door. "You'll need to restrain yourself," she said.

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked.

"Don't go running up to him right away. Just stay back and let me handle it."

Nathan nodded, wondering what exactly she meant as he and Brigitte followed her into the temple.

Upon entering the temple, however, Nathan found out what she had meant for it took everything in his power not to scream, "Stop!" when he saw Lucas laid out in a circle of candles with Tatiana looming over him with a dagger. And, to make matters worse, Tatiana had already started whatever cruel intentions she had, for he had deep cuts across his chest, which were bleeding profusely. Lucas seemed unaware of what was going on for his eyes were closed, indicating he was unconscious. Nathan's heart sank, and he thought of ignoring Kristin/Marielle's warnings and running up to the front of the temple.

Kristin/Marielle must have read Nathan's thoughts, however, for she looked at him warningly and mouthed, "Don't." for the three had managed to enter the temple undetected, and it needed to stay that way for the time being.

Since Tatiana and the others appeared to be engrossed in the ritual, they did not seem to notice the fact that the others had entered the temple, To Nathan's relief, Tatiana stood and moved away from Lucas. She turned back to the altar and placed the dagger down upon it. She then started to dance around the circle while the others joined in, chanting the whole while.

Kristin/Marielle motioned for Nathan and Brigitte to stay back as she slowly made her way up to the circle. Suddenly, the ritual ceased as the drumming stopped and the others all noticed the presence of Kristin/Marielle.

"Doctor," Tatiana said. "What are you doing here? The last I heard, you weren't feeling very well."

Kristin/Marielle said, "No, dear sister, do not be fooled by my appearance. And, it's not this boy you want. It's me." With that, she lunged for the altar, but so did Tatiana, both trying to get hold of the dagger.

After a few moments of fighting, Tatiana managed to get the dagger before Kristin/Marielle. "Oh, no, sister," Tatiana said, "You see, I need someone who's _alive_ to sacrifice. You definitely don't fit that description anymore."

Kristin/Marielle was shocked. "W-what do you mean?"

Tatiana began laughing. "Oh my God! You don't know, do you? Oh, this is just too rich!" After a few moments of laughing she regained her composure and said, "Sweet sister, you're dead. I killed you and your bastard child. And, through _his_ death," she pointed towards Lucas with the dagger, "it will show that Baptiste is innocent. He will be freed, and he and I will be together as it was meant to be."

Kristin/Marielle stood unmoving. Nathan could see she was obviously in shock. Nathan turned to Brigitte and whispered. "Should we go up there?"

Brigitte shook her head. "Not yet. Although this is painful for Marielle, she needs to know the truth-that she _is _deceased. Just wait for a few moments."

Nathan didn't quite like that answer, but he reluctantly did as Brigitte said.

But, as Tatiana made her way back to where Lucas was laying, Kristin/Marielle did not try to stop her. Tatiana raised the dagger high above Lucas' chest.

"No!" Nathan shouted as he ran to Lucas' aid.

But, Nathan's scream seemed to awaken Kristin/Marielle because she leapt in front of Tatiana, shielding Lucas with her body. But, when the dagger did finally come down, it pierced Kristin/Marielle in the chest instead.

It had all happened so fast that when Nathan finally got to the front of the temple, the deed had already been done.

Brigitte ran to get Joshua as Nathan reached Lucas' side. He looked pale, but he was breathing. But, as Nathan checked on Kristin/Marielle, she looked grey, causing Nathan's heart to sink.

Joshua and the others came in with Brigitte. Someone must have called police because two officers came in behind them. But, this was all a blur to Nathan as he silently prayed that Lucas and Kristin would be alright.


	17. I Don't Want To Be Here Anymore

**A/N: It seems there was some slight confusion about Marielle. No, she didn't know she was dead. It will all come together and be explained soon as the story is nearing the end; bear with me please. Thank you to all who have read and reviewed. It is greatly appreciated as always. **

**Chapter 17**

As soon as the officers came in, they informed Nathan and Brigitte that back-up and medical aid was on the way. They worked to apprehend Tatiana and her cohorts. A short time later, the sound of helicopters could be heard and first responders rushed in. Nathan was pushed aside while the bodies of Kristin and Lucas were carefully transferred onto gurneys in preparation to be air-lifted to the hospital. Since there was little time to waste, the helicopters had to leave right away. One of the officers offered Nathan and the others a ride to the hospital, which they accepted.

As they were leaving, Nathan approached Brigitte. "I'm so sorry about all this," Nathan said to her.

"Captain, _I_ should be the one apologizing. My niece may have killed your friends."

"That's not _your_ fault. I just want to thank you for everything."

A car horn sounded. "I think that's for you, Captain."

Nathan nodded. "What about Marielle?"

"I'm not sure at the moment. Now that we know the truth, perhaps she's moved on."

"But, she didn't realize she was-" The horn sounded again.

"You'd better go, Captain. I'll try to stop by the hospital later, and we can talk more then. Go."

Nathan did so, but he did hope he would see Brigitte again, even though he was concerned about Lucas and Kristin.

The ride to the hospital was quiet, for each crew member was lost in his or her own thoughts, each praying that their friends would be alright. Merely a half an hour later, they arrived at the hospital. Nathan tried to find out the condition of the two, but all he could be told was that they were in critical condition. He sighed, expecting exactly that.

The receptionist tried to comfort him slightly. "As soon as the doctor can, he'll come and talk to you. We understand that these two are your crew members from a submarine."

"The _seaQuest_," Nathan informed her.

"Right," she said. "As soon as the doctor can, he'll let you know how they are."

Nathan nodded, managing a grim, "Thank you." He sat down next to Crocker in the tiny, cramped waiting room.

"What did they say?" Katie asked hopefully.

Nathan sighed. "They said what they always say; that we'll have to wait until the doctor can inform us of their condition."

Levin tried to comfort the others, "As soon as the doctor _does _come, I'll speak with him. I'm sure that I can get them transferred to _seaQuest_. You know that's better than any hospital anyway."

Everyone nodded. The rest of the time was spent in silence with a few comments here and there to one another. However, no one was really in the mood to speak much. Nathan began pacing absently.

But, after the agony of not knowing anything of their friends' condition, a doctor finally emerged from the double doors leading to the hospital rooms.

"Captain Bridger?" the young man asked.

"Here," Nathan said, raising his hand as he walked up to the younger man.

The young man held out his hand to shake. "Nice to meet you. I'm Dr. Cameron. I've been taking care of your injured friends."

Nathan returned the handshake. "These are some of my senior staff members," he said motioning towards Crocker, Hitchcock, and Levin.

Dr. Cameron gave a nod towards them. "Yes, well, I suppose you are all wanting to know how they are doing then? Well, the young man-"

"Lucas," Nathan informed him.

"Lucas," Dr. Cameron said. "Well, he did have a lot of cuts, but lucky for him, they were superficial. He did lose a significant amount of blood, which we did replenish; he also needed stitches. However, given proper rest, he should recover wonderfully."

Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief knowing that Lucas would be just fine.

"And what about Kristin?" Nathan asked, dreading the answer. He'd noticed the doctor had only mentioned Lucas first. Was this the good news first and bad news last sort of thing?

"Well, it's touch and go at the moment. She just came out of surgery. Although she only had a single puncture wound, it did a lot of damage. She _was_ lucky, however, in the fact that her heart was not damaged, but rather her right lung. So, we repaired her collapsed lung and replenished her loss of blood. However, she is having difficulty breathing on her own at the moment. Only time will tell. Uh, does she have any family?"

"She has a daughter."

"I suggest you contact her and inform her of the situation," Dr. Cameron said.

Nathan nodded and asked,"Can we see them?"

"I'd really like both of them to rest for the time being. I have no objections to you seeing the young man later. Let's just play the rest by ear. If there are no more questions then-"

"Uh, Doctor, may I?" Levin asked, motioning him to the other side of the room. The two spoke quietly for several minutes. When Levin returned he said to his friends, "Well, he says he'll release them to the _seaQuest _as long as Lucas and Dr. Westphalen either remain in the same condition or make any improvements."

"And if they get any worse?" Katie asked.

"Well, let's just hope that _doesn't_ happen."

The others noticed how quiet Nathan had become. "Uh, Cap, that's good news about Lucas, isn't it?" Crocker tried to cheer him up.

Nathan nodded. Of course, he was grateful that Lucas would be alright, but it was difficult to be joyful about it when Kristin, on the other hand, might still be in danger.

Crocker added, "Dr. Westphalen's too stubborn to let a stab wound take her down."

Katie tried to manage a smile and added, "Yeah, she'll be lecturing Ben and giving that famous glare of hers in no time."

Nathan sighed. He was grateful for what the others were trying to do, but he still had a task at hand: calling Cynthia. First, he would have to call Noyce and find out how to contact her next of kin because, frankly, he hadn't the slightest clue of how to contact the young woman. And, he would need to inform Noyce of what happened in the first place. He wasn't looking forward to the call. "Uh, excuse me," he said quietly. "I have a phone call to make."

The others exchanged concerned glances but understood his apprehensiveness, so they excused him without question.

Nathan was able to borrow the hospital's vid-phone and call Noyce.

"Nathan? Ford told me you were in Haiti?"

"Uh, yeah," Nathan said. "You see, we were investigating this shipwreck, and-"

"Whose idea was that?"

"Well, it was Dr. Westphalen's-"

Noyce shook his head. "So, because _she_ wanted to play explorer, you leave my submarine without her captain and some of her senior staff?"

"It wasn't like that exactly. I agreed, and the _seaQuest_ is a _research_ vessel."

Noyce sighed. "Well, you're just lucky nothing bad happened; in the future, I expect you to exhibit a bit of caution in making decisions such as this."

"Well, we didn't anticipate becoming stranded," Nathan admitted. "And, something bad _did_ happen."

Noyce cringed. "What happened?"

"Lucas and Kristin were hurt-stabbed actually. We're at the hospital right now."

"Are they alright?" Noyce asked in alarm.

"Lucas is; I'm not exactly sure about Kristin. The doctor says it's touch and go at the moment."

"What the hell happened?" Noyce asked.

"It's really a long story, Bill. I'd rather not go into it at the moment. Listen, I'm calling because I need to know how to contact Kristin's daughter."

"What about Lucas' parents?" Noyce countered. "Shouldn't they know, too?"

Nathan hadn't even thought of them. "Yes," Nathan said. "I'll call them as well." Although, he figured they probably wouldn't care very much, he would stil do the right thing and let them know. "Right, so, what about Kristin's daughter?"

Noyce sighed as he leafed through a file in front on him. "Yes, her daughter. Cynthia." He read the number off to Nathan. Then, he said, "What are the odds you'll all be back on _seaQuest_ tonight then?"

"Levin already spoke with the doctor overseeing their care. He says he's willing to release them as long as they either stay in the same condition or improve. If they get worse, then, we'll play it by ear."

"Nathan, if you don't make it back to _seaQuest_ tonight, I'll understand."

"Bill, are you saying-"

"I'm saying I'm hoping they'll be alright," Noyce said. "But, I expect you back in action as soon as everyone is better."

For the first time that day, Nathan smiled slightly. Hearing Bill Noyce speak positively about the situation helped Nathan feel the same way. "Thanks, Bill. That means a lot, coming from you."

"Anytime, Nathan. Just keep me posted."

"Will do. Bridger out." And, with that, he cut the link. He called Lucas's parents, but neither of them answered. Nathan left a message, however, making sure to tell them that, although Lucas was injured, that he would be fine.

Then, he mentally prepared before dialing Cynthia's number. But, to Nathan's dismay, she didn't answer. Nathan left a brief but detailed message of how to reach him and hung up. Then, he went back out to the waiting room.

"How'd it go?" Katie asked eagerly.

"Um, it went fine," Nathan said. "Her daughter wasn't home actually."

"I'm sure she'll call."

A few moments later, Dr. Cameron appeared once again. "Uh, Captain, Lucas has woken up. He's asking for you."

So, Nathan followed the doctor to Lucas' room. "Hey, Kiddo. How are you feeling?" Nathan greeted him. He was slightly pale, but he looked better than when Nathan saw him last.

"It hurts," he said, pointing to his chest.

"Well, the doctor says you'll be fine."

"I'm sorry, Cap. I didn't know that Tatiana-"

"Don't, Lucas; don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault. We're just glad that you're safe."

Lucas nodded. "We're going back tonight, right?"

"The doctor says you can."

"Good," Lucas said. "I don't want to be here anymore."


	18. It's Not Your Time

**Chapter 18**

Nathan opted not to tell Lucas about Kristin, at least not at the moment. The young man still needed rest, and Nathan didn't want to upset him. Nathan continued to visit with him for a few more moments until a nurse came in and insisted that Lucas be allowed to rest. Oh his walk back to the waiting room, however, he was interrupted.

"Excuse me, Captain," the receptionist said. "It appears you have a phone call."

Nathan stepped into the side room next to the reception area to take the call. On the screen was a young woman with auburn hair and green eyes-Cynthia.

"Captain Bridger? I'm Cynthia Westphalen. What happened to my mother?"

"You should probably speak with the doctor..."

"I already did, and he told me the situation; but I want to hear it from you. What happened?"

"Well," Nathan began, unsure of exactly what to say, "your mother was stabbed in the chest. You really should come here since the doctor says it's touch and go at the moment. Where are you exactly?"

Cynthia didn't want to divulge that information since her own mother didn't even know where she was. "I'm closer than you think; I can be there in just a few hours. My flight leaves within the hour."

"Do you know how to get here?"

"I've already gotten directions; I'll take a cab. See you then." With that, she cut the link.

Nathan went back to the waiting room.

"How is he?" Katie asked.

"He's fine," Nathan said. "He's exhausted, but he's fine. He's eager to get back to _seaQuest_."

"We _all _are," Katie said. "I even miss Ben a little."

Nathan laughed lightly, but it was shortlived because he was still worried about Kristin. There was no word on her, and it was weighing on him. So, therefore, the rest of the time was spent mostly in silence, broken only by a few trivial comments between them on occasion.

Hours later, Cynthia arrived; Nathan recognized her instantly and went to her.

"Captain Bridger," she held her hand out, "Nice to finally meet you in person. My mother has told me quite a lot about you."

"Likewise," Nathan said as he returned the handshake.

"Have you heard anything? About my mother, I mean?"

Nathan shook his head. "I'm assuming no news is good news; as far as I know, she's still the same. I don't think she's awake yet."

"Thank you for getting her here," Cynthia said as she turned to the receptionist. Then, the receptionist ushered her to Kristin's room while Nathan went to sit back down.

Cynthia was slightly taken aback when she saw her mother hooked up to several monitors with the only sounds in the room being the low hum of oxygen and the blip of the heart monitor. Kristin still lie unconscious as the doctor came into the room.

"Hello, Miss Westphalen," he greeted her, "I'm Dr. Cameron," he said as he extended his hand.

She returned the handshake. "Hello, Doctor."

"Well, you're mother is a very sick woman at the moment, but she is also lucky. She's been having a lot of difficulty breathing on her own, hence the reason she is on oxygen at the moment."

"But, she'll get better, right?"

"Ideally, yes. But, right now, it's up to her. We can't do much more except to wait and see."

Cynthia nodded. Suddenly, the heart monitor made several irregular blips.

"What's going on?" Cynthia asked in alarm.

"Miss, we're going to have to ask you to step into the waiting room," the doctor said as several nurses came rushing into the room.

"What's wrong with my mother?" Cynthia yelled, nearly hysterical.

"I'm sorry," one of the nurses gently ushered her out of the room. "Your mother's going into cardiac arrest."

Cynthia did not know how she managed to make it out to the waiting room, but she did. And, she managed to tell the news to the others through her tears. Nathan tried to remain strong for Cynthia and the others, but the news was like a slap to the face for him. And, now it seemed as though they were going to lose their dear friend.

But, there was one who was unaware of everything going on for her soul was in a different realm than our own-Kristin.

_"Kristin?" she heard a feminine voice call her name. Kristin had been asleep, at least she thought so; she awoke in a garden, one of the most beautiful gardens she'd ever seen._

_She turned towards the voice. She didn't know where she was. The last thing she remembered was sleeping. Was this another dream? _

_"Kristin? Come over here please," the voice said again._

_Kristin walked in the direction of the voice. She saw a smiling young woman and a small girl. She recognized the woman instantly. "Marielle?"_

_Marielle nodded. "Yes, Kristin, and this," she knelt behind the girl, "this is my daughter, Vivienne."_

_Kristin knelt before Vivienne. "Hello," she said gently._

_The girl smiled, but didn't speak._

_Then, Kristin said to Marielle, "I didn't even know you had a child."_

_Marielle nodded. "Well, if it wasn't for you, I would never have met her."_

_Kristin was confused. _

_Marielle whispered something to the girl, and she ran off. Then she turned back to Kristin, "You don't know where you are, do you?"_

_"Isn't this a dream?"_

_Marielle shook her head. "Walk with me."_

_As they walked through the garden, Kristin noticed the fact that there were many people and animals around. "Who are they?" Kristin asked._

_"Let me start by telling you __**what**__ they are," Marielle said. "They're souls, souls of the dead, souls waiting to be reborn."_

_"Am I-?"_

_"No, Kristin, you're __**not**__; it's not your time. You need to fight, however. There are too many lessons you have yet to learn, too much you have yet to do, too many people with whom you have yet to share your love."_

_"If I'm here, then, my physical self must be in danger?"_

_Marielle nodded. "Yes, my sister, Tatiana, hurt you. I'm sorry I had to use you; your friends will explain it to you, I am sure. But, I am going to help you. I am going to give you the strength you have to fight and become healthy once again. Without you, I would have never found my daughter. You see, I didn't know I was dead."_

_"You didn't know?" Kristin repeated._

_"I thought I had been dreaming the night my sister killed me. But, the next day, it seemed as though everything was fine, that I was alive and well. Little did I know I was wrong about that. But, now I know, and I've been set free. I've moved on; I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."_

_"How do I get back?"_

_"Take my hand," Marielle said._

_Kristin did as she was told, and, in what seemed like a flash, the two were transported to the hospital. Kristin saw her daughter and friends looking distraught. "Their grieving," Marielle said. "but they will be happy once again."_

_"Where's Lucas?" Kristin asked. _

_"He's injured, but he's fine. He's resting. Come on; we haven't much time."_

_The two walked through the double doors and into Kristin's room. Kristin almost fainted when she saw herself. A doctor was standing over her body with defribrilator paddles. _

_"Clear," he said as he shocked her body._

_"Now's your chance," Marielle said._

_"What?"_

_"You need to go back into your body; you can do this. I give you the strenght. It's not your time."_

_Kristin felt as though she was pushed; she turned to look behind her but Marielle was gone._

The doctor yelled, "Clear," one more time as he shocked Kristin's body. Suddenly, the familiar blip of a regular heartbeat sounded through the monitor as the doctor and nurses breathed a sigh of relief.

**A/N: Just a quick note to say that there is no mystery to the story of where Cynthia was coming from. As the audience, we already know she was in South America, but Kristin and Nathan didn't know that; since the story was set after Knight of Shadows and before The Good Death, I just wanted to keep canon in her being secretive about her whereabouts. Thank you.**


	19. A Miracle

**Chapter 19**

When he was sure that Kristin's condition was stable, Dr. Cameron went out to the waiting room to speak to Cynthia and the others.

Everyone looked at him expectantly when they saw him, each hoping for good news. "She's stable," Dr. Cameron said. "We can't say this won't happen again. She's having trouble getting enough oxygen to her heart. We just have to wait and see."

Although the news wasn't extremely promising, everyone was grateful for the fact that Kristin was OK for the moment.

"Can I see her?" Cynthia asked.

"Of course," the doctor answered.

And, with that, the doctor led Cynthia back to Kristin's room once again. .

Nathan was lost in thought when Brigitte came into the waiting room.

"Captain? How are your friends?" she asked as she sat down next to him.

Nathan sighed. He knew Brigitte felt somewhat responsible for Lucas and Kristin even though it wasn't her fault. "Lucas is doing really well. The doctor expects a full recovery."

"Well, that's good," Brigitte said, but she noted that Nathan didn't mention Kristin's condition, "but what about the doctor?"

"Kristin is stable now, but she's been having some trouble," Nathan said quietly.

Brigitte took something out of her purse. "I know it's not much, but maybe this will help." She handed Nathan a necklace with a silver amulet attached. The amulet itself was ornately designed with bright colors and embedded with small stones in a wheel-like pattern. "It was Marielle's," Brigitte explained. "We found her body, and she'd been wearing this when she disappeared. I think she would want Kristin to have it. It's for love, protection, and spritiual connection."

Nathan took it from her. "I'll be sure to give it to her."

Brigitte nodded. "I am really sorry, once again Captain." She stood up. "I really must be going now."

"You needn't apologize."

"Well, it looks like this is it," Brigitte said. "Farewell to you, to all of you," she said, turning to the others.

"It was wonderful meeting you," Katie said.

"Maybe our paths will cross again someday. Goodbye." And, with that, she was gone.

Nathan put the necklace in his pocket. Part of him imagined the look on Kristin's face when he handed it to her; the other part hoped he would have the opportunity to do so because she wasn't out of the woods just yet. But he didn't have long to contemplate because he had yet another call.

Nathan was once again ushered to the small room near the reception desk.

"Captain," Jonathan Ford said, "I wanted to let you know we'd be arriving within the hour."

"How did you know where to call?" Nathan asked.

"Admiral Noyce, Sir. He informed us of the sitation."

"I'm sorry, Commander. I should have let you know myself."

"It's alright, Sir. How are they?"

"Lucas is fine, eager to get back. Dr. Westphalen...well, she's better than she was."

"Can they both be transported?"

"Lucas can, yes. I'm not sure about the doctor yet. I should let you know now that if she can't, I'm staying here until she _can_. Her daughter's here, and I don't want to leave her alone. Hopefully, it won't be too much longer."

"Aye, Sir. We'll see you soon."

"See you soon." Nathan cut the link and went to inform the others.

"Well," Nathan said to them, "you need to go and pack, people."

"_seaQuest_ is on it's way?" Katie asked eagerly.

Nathan nodded. "Can you pack Lucas' things as well?"

Katie nodded. "What about Dr. Westphalen's things? What about yours?"

Nathan sighed. "Leave them for now. If she won't be released today, I'm not leaving yet either."

"Aye, Sir."

With that, the others filed out, leaving Nathan alone. He thought he ought to let Lucas know the good news. He approached the receptionist, and she ushered him to Lucas' room. "I'll have the doctor sign his release papers," she said, leaving Nathan alone with the boy, who had just started waking up.

"Captain?" Lucas said sleepily.

"Hey, Kiddo. Guess what? You're going home."

Lucas seemed to brighten up at this news. "Don't you mean _we're_ going home?"

"Uh, I wanted to talk to you about that," Nathan began. "I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to upset you, but you're not the only one who got hurt."

"Who?" Lucas asked in alarm.

"Dr. Westphalen," Nathan answered.

Now, Lucas thought of Kristin as a surrogate mother; in fact he was closer to her than he was with his _own_ mother. "What happened?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"She got stabbed, too. It's been a crazy day, Lucas. She became possessed by Tatiana's sister, and she actually threw herself over you so you didn't get hurt. I have to say, she probably would have done that anyway, possessed or not."

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, she probably would have." Then, he asked, "She's going to be alright, isn't she?"

Nathan sighed. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want Lucas to be upset either. "Hopefully. But, I'm not going back to _seaQuest_ until she can."

"You mean you're not coming with me?"

"It might only be until tomorrow," Nathan explained. "Just until the hospital releases her. She might be too sick to travel right now. As soon as she's well enough, we'll see you before you know it."

Lucas nodded. "Have you seen her yet?"

Nathan shook his head. "No, she's not even awake yet."

"If she doesn't wake up before I leave, will you give her a message for me?" Lucas asked sincerely.

"Of course," Nathan said.

"Just tell her I can't wait to see her and that I hope she gets better."

"I will."

There was a brief moment of silence between them that was soon interrupted by a gentle knock on the door frame. They both looked towards the door and saw Cynthia standing there.

"Uh, Captain, I'm sorry to interrupt."

"It's alright. Lucas, this is Dr. Westphalen's daughter, Cynthia."

"Hi," Lucas said.

"Lucas, it's so good to finally meet you. My mother talks about you all the time," Cynthia said. Nathan couldn't help noticing she was grinning from ear to ear, quite a different mood than when he saw her last.

"She does?" Lucas asked.

Cynthia nodded. "Yes, she certainly does. She's very fond of you." Then she turned to Nathan, "I have some good news though. Mom's awake, and she's asking for you."

"She is?"

Cynthia nodded. "The doctor says it's a miracle. He's never seen anyone make a recovery so quickly. She may be able to leave soon after all. Someone certainly answered our prayers."

Nathan found himself grinning from ear to ear as well over the news. "Someone certainly did. Where's her room?"

"Two doors down to the left." Then, she turned to Lucas, "Do you mind if I visit with you for a while?"

Lucas smiled. "No, of course not."

Nathan excused himself and knocked on Kristin's door.

"Come in," he heard her voice say.

"Kristin?" he said when he saw her. She was still a little pale, but she looked much better than when Nathan saw her last.

"Were you expecting someone else?" she asked, still wearing the smile.

"Well, I-I-" he stammered, unsure of what to say. He didn't know if Kristin remembered Marielle.

Kristin chuckled softly. "It was a joke, Nathan. It's alright; I remember what happened...somewhat. And, I was hoping you could fill me in on the rest."

Nathan nodded. He sat down in the chair next to her bed. "Well, we thought we were going to lose you there."

"For a moment there, you did," she said quietly.

Nathan looked at her in shock, unsure of what to say.

"Would you like to know what Heaven looks like?" she asked seriously.

Nathan took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I do," he said. "But first, let's see about getting you out of here. Then, we can have a long talk."


	20. Yeah, I Think I Do

**Chapter 20**

By the time the _seaQuest _launch arrived, both Lucas and Kristin had been released from the hospital. Finally, after several days of odd occurrences, they were finally home. Lucas and Kristin were taken to medbay, under the care of Dr. Levin while Nathan and the others went back to work. Nathan headed straight to the bridge to take his rightful place and see what he missed. And, having been gone for several days, he certainly had a lot to catch up on. He had intentions of working only a few hours so that he could spend time with Kristin and Lucas equally. However, by the time he was satisfied enough to quit for the evening, it was later than he thought. He swore absently under his breath, realizing that both patients were probably asleep and shouldn't be disturbed, so he headed for his own quarters while making a silent promise that he would see them first thing in the morning.

However, upon emptying his pockets, he found the necklace Brigitte had given him. He sighed. "I really should give this to her; I _did_ promise." He knew it was a long shot, but he decided there may be a small chance Kristin was awake. If she wasn't, then he decided the necklace could wait, but he _did_ tell her he would see her later. And, so, he decided he had to check.

He headed to medbay through the quiet corridors, first stopping at the room Lucas was in. Lucas was sound asleep, but Nathan still couldn't resist the urge to walk in and check on him. The blankets had begun to fall off of the boy as he rolled over in his sleep, so Nathan made sure to cover him up properly once again, tucking him in like a protective father. Then, he gently tousled the boy's hair and whispered, "See you tomorrow, Kiddo." He turned to walk out, paused by the doorway to take one last look at the sleeping teen, then left.

He then quietly made his way to the room next door and stood in the doorway. The lights were turned down low, and Kristin was lying in the bed with her eyes closed, presumably asleep. Nathan entered the room, being careful not to wake her. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner," he whispered.

To Nathan's surprise, Kristin's eyes fluttered open, and she lay there, smiling at him.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Nathan said apologetically.

"You didn't," Kristin said quietly. "I wasn't asleep. I was waiting for you."

"Oh really?" Nathan asked as he helped her sit up. "You've been waiting a long time then."

"Well, don't get me wrong; I _did_ sleep some; the painkillers certainly knocked me out. But, I've been awake for an hour or so."

"Well, I'dve been here sooner, but I had a lot of catching up to do," Nathan said.

"Oh, you needn't apologize; believe me, I've a lot of catching up to do where my work is concerned as well. In a few days, I'll be up and about; I cringe to think what kind of mess I have to clean up."

"Yes, well, you're going to be waiting longer than a few days."

"What?"

"I am ordering you to take some time off, even after you're up and about," Nathan said.

"Ordering me?" Kristin said, slightly annoyed. "Nathan, I am _not_ one of your military drones."

"Kristin, this isn't about a battle of egos here, so please don't make it so. It's for your health," he said sternly. Then he softened his tone a bit, "Please, we've all been worried about you."

"How long?" she asked.

"A week."

"A _week_?" she hissed.

"Would you like to make it two?" Nathan quipped. "I can do that, you know."

"You wouldn't."

"Promise me you'll rest, and I won't. Besides, someone will have to keep Lucas company. He'll be under the same restrictions as well."

Kristin wore a slight pout, but she said, "Alright; I promise. So, is that why you wanted to come and see me-to lecture me?"

Nathan chuckled lightly. "No, I was supposed to give you this, but I forgot." He handed Kristin the necklace.

"This was Marielle's," Kristin said, recognizing it instantly.

Nathan nodded. "Yes, well, Brigitte felt Marielle would want you to have it. They found her body."

"Yes, I know," Kristin answered.

Nathan helped Kristin fasten the necklace. "You do?"

"Yes, well, I think it's time you and I have that talk, that is, if you're not too tired."

Nathan sat down in the chair next to the bed. "No, not too tired for you."

"Well," Kristin began, "first, Marielle apologized for using me. She said you would explain that."

Nathan laughed. "Did she now? Well, I'm not sure if you're scientific mind will accept it, but you were possessed."

"I think my scientific mind is changing a bit."

"Well, come to find out, you were right about Marielle. She wasn't the bad one; it was Tatiana. I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

"I wasn't sure I could believe myself really," Kristin answered. "I really felt like a crazy person."

"Well, you weren't. Tatiana used Lucas to perform some odd ritual, and she was about to stab him when you, well Marielle, I suppose, threw yourself over him. That's how you got stabbed."

Kristin smiled slightly. "I would have done that anyway, possessed or not."

Nathan laughed. "That's exactly what I told Lucas." He took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm just glad you're still here to talk about it."

"Well, I almost wasn't. I _did_ visit the afterlife."

"What's it like?" Nathan asked.

"Beautiful," Kristin breathed. "I remember feeling so at peace. I met Marielle's daughter, a delightful little girl. Marielle told me it wasn't my time; she told me she would give me the strength to get back."

"You think that's how you made such a quick recovery?"

"Well, I really haven't a scientific explanation for it. I need to adopt this more spiritual one," Kristin admitted. Then she added, "So, Lucas is alright then?"

"Well, he was cut; he's got a lot of stitches, but he'll mend. He's looking forward to seeing you."

"Likewise." Then, she said, "I need to thank you for calling Cynthia as well."

"Oh, don't worry about that. She reminds me of you. You know, she could have stayed a few days."

Kristin nodded. "But, she had to get back to work," she said. "She's very devoted to it."

"Sounds like somebody else I know."

There was a brief moment of silence between them. Then, Nathan said, "I'll tell you what. As soon as you're well enough, I can arrange a launch, and we can go back to _La Senora_...whatever it is."

Kristin laughed softly. "_La Senora de las Profundidades_."

"That's what I said," Nathan quipped. "So what do you say?"

Kristin shook her head. "You know, I think I've lost my appetite for treasure hunting and sunken ships. And, frankly, I'm sick of being someone else. It's horribly exhausting. Let someone else find it."

Nathan laughed. "Point taken. Well, we can find another adventure, one that won't leave you compromised."

Kristin nodded and yawned sleepily.

"I think you'd better get some rest, Doctor."

Kristin opened her mouth to protest but then declined. She _was_ tired.

Nathan helped her lie back down and pull the covers up. Then, he gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead and said, "Good night. I'll come check on you tomorrow."

"Good night," she said.

Nathan turned to leave. He heard Kristin ask, "Do you always feel the need to protect me?"

Nathan turned in the doorway to look at her. "Yeah, I think I do," he said quietly before retiring to his quarters.

**The End**

**A/N: Well, I'd just like to thank you for reading, especially to those who have reviewed. And, if you're just finding this now, please leave a comment. I'd love to know what you think, even if you think I'm not around anymore.**

**And, I'd just like to mention, for those who follow my stories, that I will be posting a new seaQuest/Mummy crossover story soon, hopefully next week. So, please look for it in the crossover section. Thank you.**


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